Cumin Spiced Quinoa

 Cumin Spiced Quinoa

By Namit Kathoria

 

Soaking time: Overnight

Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking time: 15-30 min

 

Serves 2-4 people.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1¼ cup vegetable stock (Instant Pot)/2 cups (normal pan)

100 ml passata

1 tomato diced

1 onion sliced

1 large green pepper diced

1 carrot diced

¼ teaspoon Himalayan rock salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds

½ teaspoon black cumin seeds

2 garlic cloves grated

¼ inch ginger grated

15-20 dried curry leaves/5-8 fresh curry leaves

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Serve with peanuts or cashew nuts.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

 

Preparation:

1. Soak the quinoa overnight, rinse it through the next morning and rub through well with your fingers to remove any bitter saponins.
2. Chop up the green pepper, the onion, the carrot and the tomato. Grate the garlic and the ginger.

 

Note for steps 2 to 7 you can deglaze with water at any point if needed to prevent burning.

 

3. Heat up some of the oil (if you are using an Instant Pot set the sauté function) on a medium to high setting with one piece of the onion. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the rest of the onion and the tomato. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the tomato becomes soft.
4. Add in a bit more oil, the garlic and the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly to avoid burning.
5. Then add in all of the seeds, the salt and the pepper. Cook for another 30 seconds, constantly mixing through.
6. Now add in some more oil and the vegetables. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, so the vegetables absorb  the flavours in the pan.
7. Add in the quinoa with a bit more oil if needed and constantly stir for about 2-3 minutes until the quinoa starts to become a little bit golden.
8. Add in the vegetable stock, the passata and the curry leaves. If you are using an Instant Pot switch off the sauté function now. Close the lid and set the valve to the seal position. Cook for one minute and wait for the natural release to happen. If you are using a normal pan cook for 15 minutes till the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid.
9. Taste and see if you need to add in any more salt or pepper.
10. Fluff up with a fork and serve with peanuts or cashew nuts and some fresh chopped coriander.

 

Where does your protein come from?

It comes from a mixture of the quinoa and the peanuts or cashew nuts.

 

To get more inspiration for healthy plant-based recipes please see our new nutrition and recipe book “Life” which is due to come out in 2022.