Quinoa Kidney beans Pulao

You might think that Pradeepa is going overboard with quinoa these days 🙂 kya karen? When hubby has decided to stop eating from outside and I got to make three meals for him every day that too with no rice and rotis, I got to be really creative with these gluten free grains and seeds 🙂 So, these days, it’s either millets or barley or dalia or oats or quinoa for his

lunch and dinner. I am kind of surprising myself with these quinoa recipes 🙂 The best part is that these quinoa paira beautifully with many veggies and is an excellent substitute for rice. And thank God ! Hubby is eating (infact relishing and enjoying) whatever I am experimenting.

So today, I had made rajma chawal for Neha (It’s mandatory to make it atleast once during her exam days 🙂 ) and so I decided to keep aside some cooked rajma for hubby. I quickly cooked up some quinoa (yes I cook around a cup and store it in the refrigerator in a nice airtight glass container. It stays fresh for 4-5 days, perfect to toss in with some veggies and make fresh meal each time.) and added it to the cooked rajma and came up with this spicy yummy dish. You may even cook the quinoa along with cooked rajma/kidney beans and make it a one pot meal, though I prefer to cook the quinoa seperately and then mix it with spiced rajma. You can do it either way. As always, I have used a 240 ml cup. For more quinoa recipes, please do click here.

Ingredients:

• Cooked quinoa 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Cooked kidney beans 1/2 cup
• Onion 1
• Garlic cloves 2-3
• Tomato 1 big
• Turmeric powder a pinch
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
• Pepper powder a pinch
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Spring onion greens 2-3 sprigs

Method:

• Slice the onion and chop the garlic finely.
• Pulse the tomato pieces in a mixer and make a fine puree.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
• When they crackle, add the onion slices and garlic.

• Once they turn translucent, add the tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder.

• Add the cooked kidney beans (I cut them into half) to it and mix well.

• Pour one to two tablespoons of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Add the cooked quinoa and toss gently.

• Cook again for a minute or two.
• Finally, garnish the dish with finely chopped spring onion and freshly ground pepper powder.

• Serve it hot with curd or raita.