Quinoa Upma

Quinoa Upma

November 16, 2022
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 30 mins
 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 1.5 tablespoon oil – any neutral tasting oil
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 small to medium-sized
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger or ½ inch ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies or 1 to 2 green chilies – chopped
  • 1 dry red chili – stem and seeds removed, optional
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
  • 7 to 8 curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon urad dal (husked and split black gram)
  • ½ teaspoon moong dal (yellow mung lentils)
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped carrots or 1 small carrot
  • ¼ cup finely chopped french beans 5 to 6 french beans
  • ⅓ cup green peas – frozen
  • 1 cup water
  • salt as required
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
 

Instructions

  • Take the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well in running water. Drain the water and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a pan. Keep the heat to a low. Add mustard seeds.
  • Once the mustard seeds begin crackling, then add cumin seeds, urad dal and moong dal or chana dal.
  • Stir often and fry on a low heat until the urad dal and moong dal turn golden.
  • Then add finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, dry red chili and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Fry on low heat for about half a minute.
  • Next add finely chopped onions and curry leaves.
  • Stir and sauté on a low to medium heat till the onions become translucent and soften.
  • Then add finely chopped carrots, finely chopped french beans and frozen green peas. Mix well.
  • Sauté on a low heat for two minutes.
  • Then add the quinoa and mix very well again.
  • Sauté for a minute or two on low heat.
  • Add water and mix again.
  • Add salt as per taste. Check the taste of the water and add more salt if needed.
  • Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low heat till the quinoa seeds are cooked, softened, look translucent and fluffy.
  • Once or twice you can stir the quinoa while the seeds are being cooked.
  • When all the water has been absorbed and the grains appear translucent and cooked well, remove the lid and switch off the heat.
  • Add the chopped coriander leaves.
  • Give a quick stir and serve vegetable quinoa upma hot or warm with a few lemon wedges or coconut chutney or lime pickle.
 

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