Quinoa EggPlant (vanghi bhath)

Ingredients:

• Quinoa (Prewashed) - 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Egg Plant (cut into 1 inch cubes) - 2 cups
• Dry Red Chillies - 8
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Salt - to taste
• Asafoetida - 2 tsp
• Channa Dhal (split gram peas) - 1 table spoon
• Urad dhal (Skinless matpe beans) - 1 table spoon
• Roasted peanuts - 1 tablespoon
• Coriander Seeds - 1 table spoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Coconut (grated) - 3 table spoons
• 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. Heat one tea spoon oil in a pan and roast the redchillies, channa dhal, urad dhal, asafoetida and coriander seeds

4. Switch off the stove and add coconut and transfer this mix to a seperate bowl and allow it to cool down; once cooled, put it in a blender and make a coarse powder of this;

5. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add egg plant and little bit of asafeotida; Allow the egg plant to be cooked completely

6. Add the curry leaves to this and mix well

7. Add the coarse powder (prepared in Step 4) to the cooked egg plant and mix well; Add the roasted peanuts to this

8. Add Salt

9. Add the quinoa and mix them well; Keep it in the stove for 5-10 minutes on low flame with occassional stirring and switch off the stove

Serves 4-6