Fusion Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa, A Healthy Option

I have been wanting to try this recipe for sometime and a couple of weeks ago, I got the opportunity.  I had some quinoa which I had bought some time ago and I had some rice which I wanted to use.  I decided to follow my usual recipe for Pulav and use Quinoa instead.   It was really delicious and a little will make you full .  And it's also very appetising to boot and the bonus is it has less calories than the traditional pulav.

The Recipe:

125 gms rice; 125 gms quinoa; 1 tbsp olive oil to fry the rice; ½ kg chicken.  Wash and dry.  Cut into large pieces.

Blend the following to a smooth paste:  1 large pod garlic, peel, wash and cut small; ½ inch piece of ginger, wash and cut small; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 3 cloves; 1 small piece cinnamon;2 cloves; 2 cardamoms, whole;  a few coriander & mint leaves; 2 green chillies, cut small; 1 large tomato, washed and  cubed.  This is the masala.

2 large onions, sliced fine; 3 tbsp olive oil.

500 ml hot water.

Place the masala, cut chicken with salt to taste and cover and cook in a large pan till tender.  Takes about 10 minutes. Next, heat a non stick pan and fry onions till golden brown.  Reserve half for the garnish.  Add the meat to the remaining onions and fry on a medium flame till gravy is thick. 

In the meanwhile, wash and drain the rice and quinoa seperately and fry in 1 tbsp oil in a 

nonstick pan till all the grains are coated.  Transfer to rice cooker, add the chicken masala

 and 500 ml hot water and cook till done.  Garnish with halved hard boiled eggs and serve hot with Curd Salad.  A very appetising dish indeed.

Quinoa

Just Quinoa 

Quinoa seems to be the fashion at all food stores I visit and whether intentionally or not I seem to be bumping in to a number of people who have included it in their diet on a daily basis. I was curious to know how it tasted and bought some and stored it in my kitchen while I hunted for a suitable recipe.  After googling a bit I came up with some interesting facts which caught my attention.  

Culinary ethnologists will be interested to know that Quinoa pronounced as keen-wah  was a staple food for thousands of years in the Andes region of South America as one of just a few crops the ancient Incas cultivated at such high altitude. While quinoa is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley.  
 it takes less time to cook than other whole grains - just 10 to 15 minutes,  tastes great on its own, unlike other grains and quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain, is kosher for Passover, and is almost always organic.

You can make it into anything you like- pulav, biriyani, use it as a breakfast cereal or a salad.  Just follow these guidelines for that perfect meal.

Basic Quinoa Facts

How much cooked quinoa does 1 cup dry quinoa yield?
1 cup dry quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked quinoa.

How much liquid do I need to cook quinoa?
To cook 1 cup quinoa, you need about 2 cups liquid.

How long does it take to cook quinoa?
1 cup quinoa will cook in about 20 minutes.

How do I make quinoa less bitter?
Nearly, if not all, of the natural bitterness of quinoa's outer coating can be removed by a vigorous rinsing in a mesh strainer.

How do I make better-tasting quinoa?
Quinoa is really excellent when cooked in vegetable or chicken broth. Also, add about 1/4 teaspoon salt to each cup dried quinoa when cooking. Try adding other spices aromatics during cooking as well: A clove of smashed garlic, a sprig of fresh rosemary, a dash of black pepper.

Can I use my rice cooker to make quinoa?
Yes! Just use the 2:1 liquid to quinoa ratio and follow the instructions on your rice cooker.

I made it into a stir fried meal for two with chicken and it turned out really well.  My only regret is that I made just enough for two and there were no leftovers to tide me over the next day.

The Recipe:

1 cup Quinoa, washed three times in a large wire mesh strainer;  salt to taste; 1/2 cup shelled peas; 1 tsp ginger garlic paste; 1 dsp olive oil; 1 onion sliced; 2 cups warm water; 1 medium sized pandanus leaf.

Heat olive oil in a non stick pan and stir fry the onions and ginger garlic till golden brown.  Add the Quinoa and stir fry on a medium flame till all the grains are coated.  Transfer to rice cooker, add the peas, pandanus leaf, warm water and salt to taste.  Cook till done and serve with Roast Chicken.  Smells good, has a lovely nutty flavour and am certainly going to make it again.

Recipe for Roast Chicken 

http://fromthefryingpan.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-years-chicken.html