Friday, May 22, 2009

Quinoa Pulao

Being a vegeterian, Quinoa is my favorite source of protein other than milk/cheese/lentils and beans. Here's an excerpt from Whfoods about Quinoa's health benefits:

A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair.

You can read more here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142
I like making Quinoa pulao since it's quick and has all the health benefits. Helps me avoid going to fast food restaurants when we need a quick dinner. It can made as a main meal for lunch too.


Here's the recipe:

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients:

Quinoa - 2 cups
Mixed vegetables ( peas,carrot,green beans) - 2 cups (you can use frozen or fresh)
Water - 2 cups
Ginger - 1 tbs
Thai green chilli - 3
Cumin powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Turmeric - 1 tsp (optional)
Asofetida - 1/4 tsp
salt - 1/2 tsp
Clarified butter(ghee) or Canola oil - 1 tbs

Method:


1. Wash quinoa thoroughly and drain.
2. Heat a medium sized(5 quart) pan and heat the ghee or oil in it.
3. Add minced ginger/green chilli and asofetida and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add the quioa and roast it for a few minutes.
5.Add diced vegetables, salt turmeric and cumin powder and saute.
6.Add water and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and cook for about 15 minutes.
7. Serve hot with tomato chutney.

Sending this recipe to WYF Quick meal event hosted by EC of Simple Indian Food.

2 comments:

  1. Looks beautiful and is very healthy also..thanks for the entry

    ReplyDelete
  2. Havent tried quinoa yet, although learned about the health benefits...Willl try this pulao sooner :)

    ReplyDelete