Unlike the unfortunate sector of society with the OR6A2 gene that makes coriander taste like soap, my ancestors blessed me with a hearty hyper-tolerance for the herb, and I can happily consume buckets of it like a blithe drayhorse in a meadow. That being said, I didn’t come to this broccoli coriander salad on purpose — it was the happiest and most serendipitous of accidents based on that humble yet potent activity; the fridge-raid dinner. Put it this way, I expected this to (a) taste fine and (b) use up exactly what I had at hand and no more. I did not expect it to blow my hair back so thoroughly, and I’ve had it for or with dinner repeatedly ever since. So, now I’m sharing it with you.

If you’re already suspicious at the coriander fêting, I fear the mention of sultanas won’t endear you any further to this recipe, but look — I wouldn’t include them if it weren’t delicious! I’m not being diabolical for its own sake, not here at least. Beyond that, there’s not much more to it, let alone to shock you — to summarise, this is raw, finely chopped broccoli, a vigororous handful of coriander, sultanas, toasted pumpkin seeds, dressed in nothing more than apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and plenty of salt. It tastes exceptional, and if I’d had more ingredients in the fridge or been more organised in general, it might not have.

What exactly makes it work? When eaten raw, there’s nothing for broccoli’s metallic bitter edge to hide behind, but it also allows its earthiness to shine and there’s an almost-buttery quality to its stems. Plus, when pulverised to such small pieces it doesn’t feel like a chore to eat such a large quantity. The pumpkin seeds provide actual butteriness and richness, plus a necessary layer of texture; the sultanas may be divisive but I wouldn’t be without their subtle bursts of subdued sweetness, which in turn seems to revel in the apple cider vinegar’s sharp sourness. Pour the olive oil with as generous a hand as you can muster — I know it’s not cheap at the moment — and don’t hold back on the salt either, they really hold the dish together. Finally, the aforementioned maligned coriander. With its fragrant verve and citrussy-grassy flair it enlivens the dish, dancing with every single ingredient — it wouldn’t work in its absence.

Although this can feed a couple of you, more if it’s a side dish, I’ve frequently eaten this just as it is as dinner in its entirety — something to keep in mind as the weather grows warmer and the urge to monitor a hot oven wanes — meaning that a dish that was borne from necessity is now something I buy ingredients for purposefully. And look, I haven’t tried this with a different herb but I reckon a sprightly mix of mint and basil would probably have merit in place of the coriander.

For further revelling in coriander’s deliciousness I recommend this Tomato Couscous with Cinnamon, Peanuts and Coriander; this Shorbat Jarjir; my Coconut Chilli Tofu Noodles, or this Hands-free Black Bean and Brown Rice Casserole.

Broccoli coriander salad

A fridge raid that proved serendipitous, this is light yet hearty, with that simple dressing pulling it all together and keeping it magnificently balanced. Recipe by myself.

• 1 head of broccoli
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons sultanas
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 15g (one hefty handful) fresh coriander
• plenty of sea salt, to taste

1: Finely yet very roughly chop the broccoli florets, strip any tough bits from the stem and roughly dice that, too. Tip the broccoli into a large mixing bowl.

2: Briefly toast the 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant, then remove from the heat and add to the broccoli. Stir in the three tablespoons of sultanas, the two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and the three tablespoons of olive oil.

3: Roughly chop the coriander, including the stems, and stir into the broccoli along with as a hearty pinch of salt, to taste.

Serves 2, as much as a salad can, though I have frequently eaten this myself in one sitting. You could also easily serve this as part of a potluck or a side dish, and it would be easy to increase quantities.

music lately:

Moving Uptown by Eartha Kitt from the 2000 musical The Wild Party — the LaChiusa one; there being two identically-named musicals based on the same source material that year. Ms Kitt was 73 years old here with a belt undimmed; the way the song repeatedly crescendoes before subsiding into wry asides makes excellent use of her formidable talents; the way she bellows “I am a creature who sacrificed love for her art” is nothing short of inspiring.

A.M. 180 by Grandaddy, like being serenaded by a sentient and vulnerable Gameboy console in a dystopian future hellscape (so…right now?)

Jump into the Fire by Tripping Daisy, depending on how much you love Harry Nilsson’s original you may not be feeling generous towards a cover version, but I love this, with its psychedelic flourishes and those rather Jane’s Addiction-esque vocals and its provenance on the soundtrack of The Craft.

PS: Again I’m bringing your attention to ReliefAid’s Gaza Appeal. Their latest message on 30 October reports that their team are “tirelessly delivering safe drinking water daily to families facing unimaginable hardship.” Further afield, if you have paypal you could also consider donating to Gaza Soup Kitchen — in their words, “in a world abundant in resources, no child should ever go to bed hungry. Right now in Gaza, every bite is a story of resilience and hope…your donation is their tomorrow.” Finally, here in Aotearoa you can find out more about the powerful and momentous Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti currently underway and contribute to the kaupapa. If you aren’t able to participate in person, you can join over 96,000 people in signing this petition against the abhorrent Treaty Principles Bill.