Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa is a comparatively recent entrant into my kitchen and I am still trying to find interesting ways to cook it. Apart from using it as a substitute for white rice, I tried making batter in combination with oats and urad dal. The idlys were a bit sticky, but the dosas turned out okay (lesson learned: I need to keep working on the proportions). One of the successful experiments was this delicious laddoo, which you should try.

I am not sure how popular quinoa is in India, but an uncle of mine mentioned that his friend is cultivating it somewhere near Mysore. One thing I am sure of though, it is a priced commodity at Rs. 600/Kg.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

½ cup – Uncooked quinoa

1.25 cups – Water

¼ cup – Thinly sliced onion

¼ cup – Corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

¼ cup  - Green peas (fresh or frozen)

1-2 pods – Cardamom

1, 1” piece – Cinnamon

1 – Bay leaf

1 small piece – Star anise

1 tsp – Oil

Salt to taste

Method

Rinse the quinoa and place in a saucepan with water and salt.

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Check to see if any water remains. If there is, allow it to simmer for a few more minutes.

Once all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat, fluff the quinoa with a spoon or fork, cover, and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add all the spices.

Place on medium heat and sauté for a minute.

Add the sliced onions.

Sauté until the onions become tender and slightly brown.

Add the corn and peas and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until soft.

Add the cooked quinoa and more salt if required.

Mix well, cover, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, and leave it for 5-6 minutes.

Serve hot with raita or plain curd, papad, and your favorite pickle.

Quinoa Pulav with Aromatic Spices and DelectableVegetables

Note:

Most quinoa recipes call for using double the amount of water. I have found that using a little extra adds to the texture. Too much water can be harmful too as you’ll end up with a mushy mess. It could be different for different types, so please start with double and experiment your way through larger amounts.