Quinoa Vegetable (Dhum) Biryani

Ingredients:

Quinoa (Prewashed) - 2 cup

Water - 4 cups

Oinion Chopped (Large) - 1

Tomatoes (Large) - 2

Mixed Vegetables(Carrot, Peas, Potatoe, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Green Beans) - 2 cups

Mint Leaves - 4-5

Chopped Cilantro - 1/2 Cup

Green Chillies - 4 or 5

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 teaspoon

Biryani Paste - 1 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Cloves - 2 or 3

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Bay Leaves - 1

Olive Oil or Peanut Oil - 4 tablespoons

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Red Chilli Powder (Paprika)- 1 teaspoon

Cooking Method:

1. Cook the quinoa in the pressure cooker or rice cooker

2. Once done, spread it on a baking tray which is deep enough (i use the lasagna tray) and allow it to cool

3. Heat the oil in a deep pan

4. Add the Bay leaves and allow it to turn golden

5. Add the Cinnamon Stick, Cloves and Cardamom

6. Add the chopped onion (preferably into large thin pieces) and allow it to turn translucent

7. Add Ginger garlic paste and give it a good mix

8. Add the tomatoes, Green chillies and allow the tomatoes to be cooked

9. Add the red chilli powder to this and mix well

10. Add Mint leaves and chopped coriander to this and mix well

11. Add Biryani paste, yogurt to this and mix well

12. Add Salt to this

13. Add the mixed vegetables and allow them to cook (The vegetables have to be half-cooked; do not cook them completely)

14. Switch off the stove.

15. Now carefully pore this mix into the tray where quinoa is cooling down.

16. Pre heat the oven to 400 degree Farenheit

17. Bake the Biryani for 20 minutes

18. Heat the oven to 200 degree Farenheit

19. Bake the biryani for another 20 minutes

20. Once done remove it from the Oven and allow this to cool down

21. Now gently mix the quinoa and the vegetables since the sauce would have been absorbed completely

22. Biryani is ready.

Serve with Raita or dips of your choice

Note: This receipe with rice has been shared to me by my neighbour and thanks to her. She told me that this is the authentic style of preparing dhum Biryani which the moghuls used to eat. Dhum means slow cooking.

Those who want to make this Biryani with rice, replace the quinoa with white Basmati Rice. Cook the Basmati Rice in a pot with boiling water and allow it to cook for 7-8 minutes and switch off the stove. (It is important not to overcook the Basmati rice)Drain the excess water and allow the rice to cool down. Start from Step 3 onwards for the Rice Biryani.

Enjoy :-)

Quinoa Mint Pilaf

Ingredients:

Quinoa (Prewashed) - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Potatoes - 2 medium
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Mint Leaves - 1 small bunch
Cilantro - 1 small bunch
Shreded coconut - 3 tablespoon
Green Chillies - 4 or 5
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Lemon juice - to taste
Salt - to taste
Cloves - 2 or 3
Cardamom - 2
Bay Leaves - 1
Olive Oil or Peanut Oil - 2 tablespoons



Cooking Method:

1. Cook the quinoa in two cups of water (if you are using pressure cooker, two whistles are good) 2. Allow the cooked quinoa to cool down*. (if you want the quinoa to cool down faster, put the cooked quinoa on a plate and spread it using fork; do it gently so that the cooked quinoa does not get mashed)
3. Cut the potatoes to small cubes and cook them seperately
4. Cook the peas seperately
5. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and roast the mint leaves for 1 or 2 minutes; (the leaves will shrink which is fine)
6. Chop the cilantro nicely and add it to the mint leaves and give it a mix; switch off the stove;
7. Add green chillies, ginger and shredded coconut to this
8. Put this mixture on the blender and puree them.
9. Heat the remaining oil in a deep pan;
10. Once hot add bay leaves, cardamom and cloves
11. Once the aroma comes, add the puree, cooked potatoes and peas to this and stir it for 2-3 minutes.
12. Add Salt
13. Add the cooked quinoa to this and give it a mix and keep it on the stove till the quinoa is warm and stir occasionally so that the quinoa is not burnt
14. Switch off the stove once cooked


Serve hot with any raita or dips or yogurt.

Servings: 4-6

* - It is important to know your pressure cooker and how to operate them; Read the instructions carefully along with the pressure cooker you are using and operate them safe

Quinoa Upma

Ingredients:

Quinoa (Prewashed) - 1 cup
Water - 2 Cups

Green Chillies - 3 to 4 or to taste

Curry Leaves - 1 string

Salt - to taste

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dhal (split matpe bean) - 1/2 teaspoon

Channa Dhal (Split Yellow Gram) - 1 teaspoon

Split Cashewnuts (optional) - 2 tablespoon

Olive Oil or Peanut Oil- 2 tablespoon

Ghee (clarified butter - optional) - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida (optional) - 1/4 teaspoon

Cooked mixed vegetables (peas, carrot, potatoes, cauliflower, brocolli) - 2 cups

Onion - 1

Grated Giner - 1 teaspoon

Cooking Method:

1. Cook the quinoa in two cups of water (if you are using pressure cooker, two whistles are good)
2. Allow the cooked quinoa to cool down*. (if you want the quinoa to cool down faster, put the cooked quinoa on a plate and spread it using fork; do it gently so that the cooked quinoa does not get mashed)
3. Slit the green chillies into two.
4. Chop the onion to fine small pieces
5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and add mustard seeds; Allow them to pop
6. Add Urad dhal, channa dhal, cashew nuts and roast them to a golden brown color; add ghee;
Add Onion, chillies and roast them till cooked;
7. Add curry leaves, ginger, asafeotia in this and give it a mix
8. Add the cooked vegetables to this and mix well
9. Add Salt
10. Add the quiked quinoa to this mix and close the pan with the lid and lower the flame (keep it for 5-10 minutes) and switch off the stove

Serve hot with pickle and yogurt;

Servings: 4-6.

Note: You can add lime once you switch off the stove; Decorate with Cilantro.

*It is important to know your pressure cooker and how to operate them; Those who are using the normal rice cooker, follow the standard quinoa cooking instructions.

Quinoa Rava Idli

Ingredients:

• Quinoa (Prewashed) - 1 cup
• Semolia or Cream of Wheat (coarse) - 1 cup
• Water - 1 1/4 cup
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Green Chilli Paste - to taste
• Curry Leaves - 1 string
• Chopped Cilantro - 2 table spoon
• Salt - to taste
• Eno Fruit Salt - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Urad dhal (split matpe bean) - 1/2 teaspoon
• Channa Dhal (Split Yellow Gram) - 1 teaspoon
• Split Cashewnuts (optional) - 2 tablespoon
• Olive Oil or Peanut Oil- 2 tablespoon
• Ghee (clarified butter - optional) - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida (optional) - 1/4 teaspoon

Cooking Method:

1. Soak the quinoa in water for 2 hours.
2. Put it on a blender and make a nice paste. (do not add more water; the soaked water should be good enough to make the paste)
3. Roast the Semolina for 1-2 minutes till there is a nice aroma(Make sure it does not turn brown)
4. Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds; Allow them to pop
5. Add Channal dhal, urad dhal and cashewnuts and roast till golden color
6. Add Curry leaves, Asafeotida, Salt and switch off the stove; Add the ghee now and give it a good mix
7. Add the Semolina and yogurt to the quinoa paste and mix them well so that there are no lumps
8. Add the oil (as prepared in steps 5&6), chopped cilantro to the paste prepared in Step 7 and mix well.
9. Finally add Eno Fruit salt to the mix (this will make the batter ferment and raise quickly)
10. Grease the idli moulds or cake molds with little bit of oil
11. Pour the batter on the moulds and steam it for 15-20 minutes or till cooked.
12. Allow it to cool down for 5-10 minutes and gently remove the idli(s).

Serve with Green chutney or any spicy indian chutney or Yogurt.

Servings: 4-6

Note: Do not keep the batter out there beyond 10 minutes. It has to be poured quick and made; If it is kept outside for too long, the idli's will be sticky.