Recipe: Kokako's Asian Couscous Salad

Enjoy Kokako's fresh seasonal couscous salad at home. Photo / Ted Baghurst

Take summer's eggplant, add autumn's plump pumpkin and mix with a tasty dressing in this light-yet-filling recipe from Grey Lynn café Kokako.

The café's menu changes with the seasons, offering brunch and lunch treats alongside fresh salads and baking. The coffee is roasted on-site and comes hot from the espresso machine, cold-brewed or chilled.

In this salad, shared with Element by Kokako's sous chef Kentaro Kurihara, locally-grown roots and greens are used to best effect.

Serves 4

Salad ingredients

• 300g organic white couscous
• 200g organic pumpkin (cut into 1cm cubes)
• 100g eggplant (cut into 1cm cubes)
• 100g organic carrot (sliced)
• 50g organic cucumber (cut into 1cm cubes)
• 10g sunflower seeds
• 5g chopped spring onion
• 5g chopped coriander

Dressing ingredients

• 30g coriander stalk
• 2 tbs miso paste
• 1 tb tahini
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tb sesame oil
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 10g fresh ginger
• 2 tb lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Prepare salad ingredients

1. Tip couscous into a large bowl, pour over boiling water. Cover, then leave for 10 mins until fluffy and all the water is absorbed.
2. Roast diced pumpkin and eggplant separately
3. Boil carrot until tender
4. Spread sunflower seeds on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C, stirring occasionally until golden-brown (5-10 minutes).

Prepare dressing

5. Put all ingredients except canola oil into a food processor and blend together.
6. With the motor running, add canola oil in a thin, steady stream until the mixture emulsifies and thickens.
7. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Assemble and serve

8. Place all vegetables in a bowl and pour the dressing, toss gently. Taste and season if needed. Sprinkle over herbs to garnish.

Get more info on Kokako here, or drop by their vegetarian cafe at 537 Great North Road, Grey Lynn. To make sure you're on the list for more recipes, sign up to our newsletter. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.