QUINOA PILAF/PHULAO

Quinoa is a grain crop with high nutritive value.

You Need: (To serve 4 people)

• Quinoa - (2 medium cup)
• Finely Chopped Onions (Pyas/eerulli) - (1 medium sized)
• Cut Vegetables (Carrots, Beans, Capsicum) - (1 Cup)
• Green Peas (Matar/Batani) - (½ Cup)
• Chopped Mint (Pudina) - (½ Cup) Optional
• Sweet Corn - (½ Cup) Optional

• Grated Ginger/Ginger Paste (Adrak/Shunti) - (1 tbsp)
• Grated Garlic/Garlic Paste/Finely Chopped Garlic (Lasan/Bellulli) - (1 tbsp/2-3 cloves) Optional
• Finely Chopped Green Chillies (Hara mirch/Hasi Menasinakai) - (2-3)

• Turmeric Powder (Haldi/Arisina) - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder (Mirch Powder/Menasina Pudi) - ½ tsp (Optional)
• Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder/Jeerige Pudi) - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder/Kottambari Pudi) - 1 tsp

• Lemon juice (½ Lemon/1 tbsp)
• Salt (To taste)
• Water - 4 cup

     For Seasoning (Tadka/Oggarane):

• Oil (for seasoning) - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini/Chakke) - (1-2)
• Cloves (Lavang/Lavanga) - (2-3)
• Green Cardamom (Ilaychi/Elakki) - (3-4)
• Bay Leaves (Tej Patta/Phulao Yele) - (1-2)

• Cumin Seeds (Jeera/Jeerige) - (1 tsp)

      To Garnish:

• Chopped Cilantro/Coriander leaves (Hara Dhaniya/Kottamabari Soppu)

Method:

• Soak Quinoa in water for about an hour.

• Heat oil in a pan. Add Cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Green Cardamom, Bay leafs and Cumin Seeds. Saute for few 4-5 seconds.

• Add finely chopped Onions, Grated Ginger, finely chopped Garlic, finely chopped Green Chillies and Salt. Saute till onions turns tender.

          Instead of grated Ginger and finely Chopped garlic, you can also add Ginger-Garlic paste.

• Add Chopped Mint and saute for a minute.

• Add Cut Vegetables, Green Peas, Sweet Corn, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder (Optional), Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder. Mix well and saute for 3-4 minutes and Switch off the gas/stove.

          As you have already added Green Chillies, add Red Chilli Powder only if you like your Phulao spicy.

• Pressure Cook Soaked Quinoa with the Vegetable mix and 4 cup of water for 3-4 whistles.

• Add Lemon Juice to the Phulao and mix well.

You can also add Lemon Juice while you pressure cook.

• Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with Raita/Curd/Yogurt :)