Vegetable quinoa

Some time ago my sister in law got me a packet of a grain which is called quinoa, telling me it is very healthy and a  better option than rice in one's daily diet.  The packet lay in my cupboard untouched, unused, simply because I did not to do with it and eventually forgot about it.

When my brother in law came this time and asked if I had used it, I was suitably embarassed and decided it was time to do something with it.


So it is that I made "Veg Quinoa" today and I must tell you, it was simply divine.


What is Quinoa?

Source:  Wikipedia

Source: http://informedfarmers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Quinoa-Grain-crop-027.jpg

Quinoa is very rich in amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is particularly rich in the amino acid "lysine" which helps in tissue repair.  It is very rich in manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and folate. It is particularly helpful to people suffering from migraines, atherosclerosis (thickening of the arteries which lead to heart attacks) and diabetes.

Source:  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

Quinoa is very rich in amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is particularly rich in the amino acid "lysine" which helps in tissue repair.  It is very rich in manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and folate. It is particularly helpful to people suffering from migraines, atherosclerosis (thickening of the arteries which lead to heart attacks) and diabetes.

For further nutritional information and to know more details of health benefits refer the above links.

Now friends, I think it is high time to end the suspense and share my recipe with you.

Ingredients:

For 4 people:

Quinoa - 3 katoris

Onion - 1

Carrot - 1

Beans - 5-6

Capsicum - 1

Peas - a handful

Baby corn - 3-4

Cauliflower - 3-4 florets cut into smaller pieces

Mozarella cheese 4 - 5 tablespoons (optional)

Oregano, dill, rosemary, basil, or mixed herbs

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
Red chilli flakes 

Method:

Heat olive oil in a kadhai (wok).  Add the onions and fry till brown.  Add the vegetables and sauté them.  Add the quinoa and add 4.5 katoris of water.  Cover and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.  Add the herbs and the mozarella cheese and cover for a further 2-3 minutes.  The quinoa is ready to serve.

Other variations are also possible - one could make it like upma or like pongal / khichadi .....  Stretch your imagination, try out whatever variations you can think of and share them with all of us.