Quinoa and Bell Pepper

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chopped bell peppers (assorted colors)
1 bunch green onion
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups or enough water to cook the quinoa
1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste dissolved in a little water

Heat a pan with 2 cups of water, add the washed quinoa to it and cook it until it is done.  Takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking prepare the vegetables.

Use half of three bell peppers of different colors.  Wash and chop them into same size to yield 2 cups.

Wash and chop the green onions.

Heat a pan with 3 tablespoon of oil.  Add the cumin seeds and wait for it to sizzle.  When the cumin seeds sizzle add the chopped green onions and saute it until it starts to turn brown.  Add the chopped green peppers cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until the green peppers are some what cooked but retain some crunchiness.  Add the cooked quinoa, mix,  add salt to taste dissolved in some water.  Mix and serve.

Serves 4.

Quinoa, Buckwheat and Millet Pilaf

1/3 cup whole buckwheat rinsed and drained in water
1/3 cup millet rinsed and drained in water
1/3 cup Quinoa rinsed and drained in water ( use cracked wheat to substitute)
3/4 cup frozen peas or use your choice of vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower)
2 to 2 1/2 cups water or as needed, or use vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 two inch long cinnmon sticks
3 tablespoon oil

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.  Add cumin seeds and cinnamon.  When the cumin seeds turn brown add the buckwheat, millet and quinoa,  saute for a couple of minutes,  add the frozen peas or vegetables.  Saute for 30 seconds, add water and cook till the grains are done.  While it is cooking keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally so that the bottom does not burn.  When the grains are done they will become clear.  Remove the cinnamon sticks before serving.

I like to make this dish for people who like alternatives to rice and wheat.  This is very filling.  Quick and easy to make.  It uses very few ingredients.

The millet and buckwheat tend to get rancid very easily.  I buy them in small quantities and store them in the refrigerator.

Quinoa idli - Kanchipuram style recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup urad dal
water as needed

The proportion of urad dal to quinoa is 1:3.

Prepare Batter:  Rinse and soak quinoa and urad dal 4 to 8 hours or overnight.  After soaking grind the quinoa into a slightly coarse batter in 1 cup water and the urad dal to a fine batter in 1/2 cup water.  Adjust the water as needed.  Do not make it too liquid.  After grinding, mix the two and keep it in a warm place for fermenting.

When the batter has fermented one hour before making the idlis season it and keep it aside.

Seasoning:
3 tablespoon of til oil or gingely oil or use any oil or ghee
4 teaspoon channa dal
3 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 green chili or to taste
2 tablespoon broken cashew nut
a few curry leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, when hot add channa dal, urad dal and mustard seeds.  When the mustard seeds crack add ginger, green chili, cashew, curry leaves saute for a few seconds, add ground black pepper and turn the heat off and add the seasoning to the fermented batter.  Add salt to taste, mix the batter thoroughly and keep it aside for at least an hour.  The seasoning need to soak for some time for the flavor to develop in the batter.

Prepare idli in the microwave:
Use a greased egg poacher or a microwave idli maker.  Fill the cups of the egg poacher with batter and insert it in a bowl with a little water.  Microwave it for 4 to 5 minutes until the idli is cooked.  Adjust the the cooking time to power of your microwave.  When a knife it inserted in the middle of the idli comes out clean, it is cooked.  Remove it from the cups and serve fresh.

Serve warm with sambar and chutney.  These idlis are very filling, you may not eat as many as rice idlis.  They taste close to wheat rava idli.  They do get hard when they are cold.  However, if they are warmed in the microwave they become softer.  

Alternatively you can make these idlis in an idli steamer, in the usual way.  See also Idli, sambar, chutney and other snacks.  You can use regular idli batter to make Kanchipuram idli.

If the dough does not ferment use some yeast or fruit salt.

For days when you want to eat something different, these spiced up idlis are delightful and healthy.  

Quinoa and Black Beans Patties

click on arrow to watch video:

Ingredients: 
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked quinoa (if you are planning to cook the quinoa 1/4 cup raw quinoa yields approximately 1 cup cooked)
1/2 cup loosely chopped parsley with stalks removed
1/2 cup loosely chopped basil with stalks removed
1/2 cup loosely chopped rosemary with stalks removed
Note the herbs - basil, parsley and rosemary can be substituted with Italian seasoning approximately 2 teaspoon

3 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup chopped tomato
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preparation:
Heat a pan on medium heat with 3 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is warm add fennel seeds.  When the fennel seeds darken add the chopped tomato, mix add the chopped herbs, mix, cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.  After the tomato is cooked add the rinsed and drained black beans, quinoa, add salt and black pepper and mix, add bread crumbs, mix nicely allow it to cool before making patties.  Makes 6 patties.

Heat a skillet with a little oil and fry the patties on both sides until brown.

Serve on a bun with vegan mayonnaise, tomato, lettuce or serve with your choice of ingredients. 

Quinoa with yogurt and Fresh Fruits

3 cups cooked Quinoa
1 cup chopped melon
1 cup watermelon
1 cup melon
2 cups yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all of the above and serve.  
Any fruits in any proportion can used to make this dish. Enjoy with cucumber, pomegranates, apple any choice any combination. Add some nuts if you like.

This is a wonderfully colorful and healthy dish. Kids will love it. Enjoy!

Quinoa with Sprouted Mung

3/4 cup quinoa
3/4 cup sprouted mung (already spouted mung are available at the grocers)
1 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon clarified butter
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper crushed
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
a few curry leaves optional

Wash and cook quinoa in water, takes about 15 minutes, add sprouted mung and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so until the excess water has evaporated.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt mix and turn the heat off set aside for seasoning.

Heat a pan with 3 tablespoon of clarified butter, when the oil is hot add cumin seed and crushed black pepper, when the cumin turns brown add roasted peanuts, ginger and optional curry leaves saute for a few seconds add to the cooked quinoa and sprouted mung.  Serves 2.

For one of my rice recipes I have replaced rice for quinoa in this dish.  Serve with yogurt or chutney this is an absolute fantastic.

Quinoa Kichadi

1/2 cup of Quinoa
1/4 cup of moong dal
2 cups of mixed vegetables
1/4 cup of frozen peas
8 cloves
2" stick of cinnamon
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
1 teaspoon of green chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
3 tablespoon of oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Enough water for preparation

Boil one cup of water to it add cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and bay leaves.  Turn the heat off and let it come to room temperature.  When it is cool strain it with a tea strainer.  Discard the spice but keep the spice water.

Wash the quinoa and moong dal together and keep it aside.

Place a pan on medium heat with 3 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is hot add cumin seed, after the cumin seeds sizzle add ginger and green chili, saute for about 30 seconds add turmeric powder, paprika, stir, add mixed vegetables and frozen peas, stir and add asafoetida and the spice water and let it cook covered for five minutes.  Keep it aside.

Take another pan with 2 cups of water on medium heat, add the washed quinoa and moong dal to it and let it cook for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes add salt and the cooked mixed vegetables to the quinoa-moong dal and cook till the water has evaporated - takes about 5 minutes.  

Serves 4.  Serve with raita or chutney.

Wonderful healthy Quinoa.  It is actually a seed which is eaten as a grain.  It has now become very popular in United States.  It has a nutty flavor and is easy to cook.  I use my rice recipes to make quinoa dishes it works out perfect.

Quinoa Upma

1/2 cup Quinoa
1 cup water
2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon channa dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped green chili or to taste
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup chopped almonds (optional)

Wash and cook the quinoa in 1 cup of water.  It takes about 15 minutes to cook.  Keep it aside.

For Seasoning heat a pan with 2 tablespoon of oil.  When it is hot add channa dal, urad dal, when the dal turns brown add mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds crackles add ginger, green chilies, saute for a minute add about 2 tablespoon of water and the frozen vegetables cover and cook for five minutes.
Remove cover add salt mix and slowly mix the cooked quinoa.  
Serves 2.

Serve with chutney, raita or aviyal.  Quinoa is a native to south America.  It is high in protein and eaten as a staple.  This recipe compliments Quinoa beautifully.