Quinoa, the ancient new fad for people going off rice and carbs has come to stay. Keen-Wha as it is pronounced at least here in the US, is often debated about, as to whether it is a seed or grain. It is an ancient grain grown in the Peruvian/Andean regions of South America and primarily known for its edible seeds, which are high in protein. It is part of the same family as amaranth the big difference being the edibility of their greens. While amaranth greens are grown in abundance in India especially in the south known as Molakeerai, the leaves of Quinoa are yet to be extolled, simply because we do not get see nor taste anything but the seeds. After a failed attempt at growing quinoa in my backyard garden, I realized some things are best grown in their natural habitats.
Besides being high in protein it is also rich sources of minerals and vitamins besides being gluten-free or almost. So this is well tolerated by those with celiac disease and those with general intolerance towards gluten. I often substitute rice and pasta recipes by using quinoa in their place, making it at once a guilt free meal to be enjoyed with glad abandon.
There are many ways to use Quinoa, links to which are given at the bottom of this write-up. But here is one recipe that I will give in whole – a one-pot recipe, following pressure cooker instructions or in an electric rice cooker.
Colorful Quinoa Khichdi
Prep Time: 10 mins; Cooking Time: 20 mins
Preparation
If food were meant to be alluring, tempting and seductive, then this dish makes the cut. As simple as it was to prepare, I am classifying this as an anytime treat with veggies, quinoa, and chives blossoms for decoration. But you can work it in any which way you want, including adding chicken or fish – whatever floats your fancy 🙂
For this you need veggies of your choice – I used tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers (orange and yellow), green peas, cilantro and chives blossoms and fresh sage leaves for garnish – green chilies for heating up.
Steam cook the quinoa; sautee the veggies; mix them together in a pan with the heat on – allow them to blend for 2-3 minutes and then serve hot.
All of these steps are displayed in the gallery below:
