My husband christened this the ‘kitchen sink salad’, but I prefer 9 Treasure Salad because it’s packed full of nutritional treasures – superfoods that fight cancer, lower cholesterol, and supercharge the immune system.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black rice (or use wild or brown rice)
1 cup water
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
1 small sweet potato (kumera), peeled and diced
2 medium zucchinis, diced
Cinnamon
Black pepper
Nutmeg
Ground coriander
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
1 bunch bok choy, trimmed and shredded
1 1/2 cups cooked chick peas, drained
1 bunch fresh coriander, trimmed and finely chopped
1 fresh pomegranate

Dressing

2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (available from delicatessans and good greengrocers; substitute balsamic vinegar if unavailable, and halve the water)
2 tablespoons water

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Bring water to the boil, add rice, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender – about 30 minutes for black or brown rice; longer for wild.

Place the onion and sweet potato on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and dust liberally with spices. Bake for 25 minutes. Add zucchini and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, steam asparagus and bok choy until just tender. Plunge the cooked asparagus into iced water for 5 seconds. Cut asparagus spears into 4 cm lengths.

Cut the pomegranate open and prise the arils (red juice sacs) from the white pith. Combine arils with baked and steamed vegetables and rice, and toss well with dressing.

Dressing

Stir ingredients vigorously until well blended.