Quinoa Upma (Healthy Quinoa Recipe)
User Reviews
5
Quinoa Upma (Healthy Quinoa Recipe)
Description
Quinoa Upma is a one-pot meal where quinoa is cooked with a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, moong dal, fresh ginger, chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves, creating a flavorful base. Finely chopped onions, carrots, french beans, and green peas add texture and modest sweetness to the dish. The quinoa absorbs the infused water while steaming gently over low heat until tender. This results in a light, grainy texture distinctive of quinoa combined with the soft crunch of the sautéed vegetables.
The flavor is gentle and savory, with subtle heat from the green chilies and dry red chili and an aroma from the mustard seeds and curry leaves. The dish is best served fresh as a hearty breakfast or light meal that provides protein and vegetables in a single serving. Its wholesome composition makes it suitable for those seeking a nutrient-rich grain dish.
To prepare quinoa successfully for this recipe, it is important to rinse it thoroughly to remove the natural bitter coating called saponin. The recipe base can be varied with additional vegetables to suit availability and preference. Water to quinoa ratio is commonly 2:1 for cooking, and covering the pan aids in even cooking.
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1.5 tablespoon neutral cooking oil any neutral tasting oil, generic cooking oil
- ⅓ cup onion or 1 small to medium-sized, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ginger or ½ inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon green chili or 1 to 2 green chilies - chopped, chopped
- 1 dry red chili - stem and seeds removed, optional
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
- 7 to 8 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal (husked and split black gram)
- ½ teaspoon moong dal (yellow mung lentils)
- ⅓ cup carrot or 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- ¼ cup french beans 5 to 6 french beans, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup green peas - frozen
- 1 cup water
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Take the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well in running water. Drain the water and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Keep the heat to a low. Add mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds begin crackling, then add cumin seeds, urad dal and moong dal or chana dal.
- Stir often and fry on a low heat until the urad dal and moong dal turn golden.
- Then add finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, dry red chili and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Fry on low heat for about half a minute.
- Next add finely chopped onions and curry leaves.
- Stir and sauté on a low to medium heat till the onions become translucent and soften.
- Then add finely chopped carrots, finely chopped french beans and frozen green peas. Mix well.
- Sauté on a low heat for two minutes.
- Then add the quinoa and mix very well again.
- Sauté for a minute or two on low heat.
- Add water and mix again.
- Add salt as per taste. Check the taste of the water and add more salt if needed.
- Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low heat till the quinoa seeds are cooked, softened, look translucent and fluffy.
- Once or twice you can stir the quinoa while the seeds are being cooked.
- When all the water has been absorbed and the grains appear translucent and cooked well, remove the lid and switch off the heat.
- Add the chopped coriander leaves.
- Give a quick stir and serve vegetable quinoa upma hot or warm with a few lemon wedges or coconut chutney or lime pickle.
Notes
- Always rinse quinoa seeds well to remove bitterness from saponin coating.
- Use double the amount of water to quinoa for proper cooking consistency.
- Add other favorite vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, or corn for variation.
- Skip or use gluten-free asafoetida to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- This recipe scales easily to serve more people by multiplying ingredients proportionally.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 327 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 327kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 633mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 505mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 5563IU | 111% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 30mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 68mg | 76% |
| Vitamin E | 6mg | |
| Vitamin K | 14µg | |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 408µg | |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 107mg | 27% |
| Phosphorus | 258mg | |
| Zinc | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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