Quinoa (pronounced as
KEEN-WAH) has become increasingly popular among health-conscious people. Gluten-free, high in protein with all nine essential amino acids in sufficient
quantity, high in fibre, magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin, iron
and different antioxidants, quinoa is indeed a super healthy option over other
grains. It’s basically a seed which is prepared and eaten like a grain.
It has a low glycemic index which is good in controlling blood sugar.
These properties have all been linked to weight loss and improved health.
Keeping all the aforementioned
health benefits in mind, I have incorporated this superfood into my kitchen
and love to try out different methods to suit the taste buds of my family. Too
often I substitute it for rice or roti in breakfast, lunch or dinner, especially
for my gym freak boy! So here is my super easy recipe for Healthy Quinoa Pulao!
Recipe Type: Fusion
Cooking Type: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 20-25
min.
Calorie count:
A 100g serving of cooked quinoa provides:
|
||||
120
calories
|
4.4g protein
|
1.9g fat
|
19.4g
carbohydrate
|
2.8g fibre
|
 |
| Boiled fluffy quinoa |
Ingredients:
1. Quinoa- 1 cup
2. Water- 2 cups
3. Onion- 1 medium-sized
finely chopped.
4. Beans- 9-10 nos, Carrot-
1 medium size, Capsicum- 1 small, Sweet Corn-3-4 tbsp
5. Ginger 1 tsp finely
chopped
6. Green chillies- 1 finely
chopped or according to taste.
7. Black pepper powder- 1
tsp
8. Mixed herbs-1/2tsp
9. Salt- to taste
10. Cilantro- 1tbsp finely
chopped (optional)
11. Olive oil or any
refined oil- 2 tbsp
METHOD:
1. Wash quinoa in running
water thoroughly. Quinoa has a natural coating, called saponin, that can
make the cooked grain taste bitter or soapy. Luckily, it’s easy to get rid of
this coating by rinsing the quinoa just before cooking. Boxed quinoa is often
pre-rinsed, but an additional rinse at home is advisable.
2. Boil 2 cups of water with 1/2tsp of salt. Add
quinoa to the boiling water and give it a stir. Reduce the heat and boil it
without lid for at least 15 min or till done. The quinoa should absorb all the
water and will be fluffy in nature. Let it cool for some time.
3. Take a pan. Put 2 tbsp olive oil or any
refined oil.
4. Put onion and sauté for few seconds. Add
chopped ginger and vegetables. Put salt according to taste. Add green chillies.
Reduce heat and cover with a lid.
5. When the vegetables turn tender add seasoning.
6. Add quinoa and gently mix with the vegetables.
Decorate with chopped cilantro (optional).
7. Serve hot.
Author’s Note:
Thinking about a one-pot menu for lunch or
dinner or a healthy sumptuous breakfast? Go for this superfood pulao loaded
with veggies. The spices can be altered according to your taste. Here a few
things to keep in mind...
1. Do not over boil the grain. The aim is to get a
fluffy quinoa. Over boiled grain may not give the desired taste and texture.
2. Soaking quinoa prior to cooking is absolutely
not necessary.
3. A
point to be noted is that quinoa also has a very high carbohydrate content,
which can pose a problem if one is on a low carb diet. "Even
one serving of quinoa is too many carbs for one meal", says FranziskaSpritzler,
RD, author of The Low-Carb Dietician’s Guide to Health and Beauty.
This was my humble endeavour to pen down a healthy
quinoa recipe which is neither bland nor too spicy to suit taste buds. But like
in any other art, there is many a scope for further improvement and innovation in
cooking as well. Looking forward to ideas and suggestions from readers.
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