Sorghum Salad With Cucumbers, Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes

By Martha Rose Shulman

Sorghum Salad With Cucumbers, Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(30)
Comments
Read comments

One thing I’ve learned about cooking sturdy grains like this (and the other grains we’re working with this week) for salads is that they will absorb dressing better if you let them cook until they burst or splay. In the case of sorghum, the grain is done after 50 minutes, but if you let it go for another 10 the grains will burst and the lemon juice and olive oil won’t slide off.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • ½cup sorghum
  • 2cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
  • ¼cup chopped cilantro
  • 1heaped cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 6 ounces)
  • ¾pound cucumbers (1 European or 4 Persian), seeded if using regular cucumbers, cut in fine dice
  • 1bunch scallions, finely chopped, or ¼ cup chopped chives
  • 1small ripe avocado, diced
  • Salt to taste
  • 1romaine lettuce heart, leaves separated, washed and dried
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

205 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 687 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the sorghum, water and salt to taste (I use ½ to ¾ teaspoon). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 60 minutes, until the grains are tender and have begun to burst. Remove from the heat and strain off any water remaining in the pot.

  2. Step 2

    In a large salad bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt to taste and the olive oil. Add the cooked sorghum and toss together. Add the remaining ingredients, except the lettuce leaves, and toss together. Serve with the lettuce leaves. Use them for scooping.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: The cooked sorghum will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen.

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4 out of 5
30 user ratings
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Comments

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Jan G.

This was the first recipe I have ever made using sorghum berries and it was a winner. A fresh, oh-so-slightly sweet twist on tabbouleh. Minimally increasing the amount of lemon juice and letting all the ingredients with the exception of the avocado (and lettuce) marinate in the refrigerator for the better part of the day worked well. Spooning the salad into the individual romaine leaves (instead of scooping) added to the enjoyment of this dish. Looking forward to trying other sorghum recipes as well.

Valentina

I made it with orange juice instead of lemon because that’s what I had, so maybe that’s the reason, but it lacked oomph. Maybe adding some feta would help.

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