Indian Quinoa Recipes For The Healthy Soul

Are you on a weight loss spree or have converted to healthy eating? If you are fine eating quinoa then these recipes are what you need to try this weekend.

Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is gluten-free, it is very high in protein and contains sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids. It is high in fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin E, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium and various beneficial antioxidants.

Quinoa Idli Recipe

Ingredients

• Half cup quinoa
• Half cup idli rice
• Quarter cup urad dal  
• Half tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 tbsp oil
• Quarter cup onions chopped
• Half cup carrots chopped 
• 0.50 gms beans snap gree raw  
• 0.50 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp salt

Method:

• Soak quinoa, rice and fenugreek seeds together in water for  6 hours or overnight.
• Wash quinoa several times in water before soaking.
• Soak urad dal separately for 5 hours in water.
• Next, add urad dal in a grinder or mixer.
• Add water little by little and grind urad dal to a smooth and fluffy batter. Transfer the batter to a bowl.
• Strain the soaked rice, quinoa and fenugreek seeds. 
• Grind the rice, quinoa and fenugreek seeds together and make a smooth batter and mix with urad dal batter.
• Combine both the urad dal, quinoa rice batter, salt and mix well.
• Cover the batter and allow it to ferment for 8 hours or overnight.
• After 8 hours of fermentation, it is good if the batter has risen but if not then allow the batter to ferment for 2 - 3 hours or until the batter rise and increase in the quantity.
• Now, take 2 cups of fermented batter in a separate bowl add the necessary amount of water until the batter reaches a smooth and slightly thin consistency and mix well.
• Chop the onion, carrots, and beans finely.
• In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds and wait until it gets splutter.
• Add urad dal, chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes soft.
• Add chopped carrots, green beans, salt and mix well. Cook until the veggies become slightly soft.
• Add it to the 2 cups of batter and mix well.
• Add a cup of water in the Idli cooker and grease the idli moulds with oil and pour a spoonful of idli batter in each Idli moulds.
• Cover the Idli cooker and cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until the steam starts to coming out.
• Maximum 12 minutes of steaming is enough.
• Allow the idlis to cool and then scoop them out.

Quinoa Moong Dal Khichdi With Vegetables  

Ingredients

• Quarter cup uncooked quinoa  
• 2 cup water
• 0.50 tsp salt
• 0.50 cup raw green peas
• 1 tomato
• 0.50 cup raw onions
• 1 small cinnamon stick  
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 0.50 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• 0.25 cup raw moong dal

Method

• Rinse quinoa and moong dal separately 2 - 3 times.
• Soak both together for 20 mins. 
• In a pressure cooker, add quinoa, moong dal, water, and salt. Cover and cook until 3 whistles. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.
• In a saucepan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf and saute until nice aroma comes out.
• Add chopped onion and saute until the onion becomes soft.
• Add turmeric powder and cook until the turmeric powder loses its raw smell.
• Add chopped tomato, salt and cook until the tomato becomes soft and mushy.
• Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and mix well.
• Sprinkle little amount of water and cook until the spices lose its raw smell.
• Add green peas and mix well.
• Add the cooked quinoa and moong dal mixture and mix well.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Don't Miss: Make This Quinoa Dosa For Breakfast Or Lunch, Eat Healthy

Quinoa Curd Rice

Ingredients

• 0.50 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 0.50 tsp salt
• 1 cup yogurt
• 0.50 tsp cumin seed
• 0.25 tsp mustard seeds
• 0.50 tsp urad dal
• 1 dry red chilli
• 4 gms cashew nuts raw
• 0.25 cup grapes
• 1 tsp oil
• 0.25 tsp hing 

Method

• Rinse quinoa in water several times to take away the bitter coating (saponin) from quinoa.
• Use a fine mesh strainer to keep quinoa from falling out while rinsing.
• If you are not rinsing the quinoa thoroughly, then the quinoa yogurt rice will end up in a bitter taste.
• In a saucepan add water, pinch of salt and bring it to a boil.
• Add quinoa, cover and cook until the quinoa gets cooked and the water absorbed by the quinoa completely.
• Allow the quinoa to cool slightly.
• For tempering
• In a small pan heat a tsp of oil in a medium flame.
• Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter, add urad dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida, red chillis and saute until the urad dal color changes into golden brown and the asafoetida loses its raw smell.
• Add cashew nuts and roast until the colour changes into golden brown.
• In a bowl add cooked quinoa, yogurt, cashew nuts mixture, salt and mix well.
• Add the chopped grapes and mix gently. Quinoa curd rice is ready to serve

   

Chicken Pulao With Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 300 gms chicken
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 2 tomato
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 0.25 tsp turmeric 
• 0.50 tbsp coriander powder
• 0.50 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.50 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 gms cinnamon stick
• 2 gms cloves
• 1 cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cup water

Method

• Rinse quinoa and chop the chicken, onion, and tomatoes finely.
• In a pan heat oil add cumin seeds, whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf) and saute.
• Add chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes soft.
• Add turmeric powder and cook.
• Add ginger garlic paste and cook.
• Add chopped tomato, salt and cook until the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
• Add coriander powder, red chili powder and mix well.
• Add a very little amount of water to avoid the spices getting burned and cook until the spices lose its smell.
• Add chopped chicken, mix well and cook until the chicken gets cooked completely.
• Add rinsed quinoa and mix well.
• Saute the quinoa with few seconds with the chicken mixture and add water, salt, and coconut milk. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Add chopped coriander leaves (cilantro), cover the pan with a lid and cook until all the liquid content absorbed by the quinoa completely. Uncover the lid, mix gently and serve.