Quinoa Upma

Upma – A savior for those women who have no idea what to cook for dinner. Sometimes with onion and veges, while sometimes with just some seasonings, upma can pretty much be prepared with what we have in our pantry. But one thing that stops me from having upma as often as I would like are the carbs . Rice, vermicelli, beaten rice, tapioca – lots of carbs, but lots of taste.

Quinoa, generally, considered to be a grain is actually the seed of a plant. They are an excellent source of complete protein – all 8 amino acids, which is essential for a vegetarian diet. Though it has received its long-deserved attention only recently , they can be substituted for almost any other grains in modern recipes. When cooked, they form a tail (which is the external germ of the seed), giving it an interesting look. More about quinoa – here.

When I first came across quinoa, I used them in tabbouleh, salads, etc, as mentioned in the box. Noticing its firmer texture, I took a chance and made upma. I also tried cooking it in a pressure cooker than on stove-top. Not only was it protein-rich, it was fan-tas-tic. Its light, delicate taste was just enough to make it at least once a week. This upma rocks, you can have it any day.

Ingredients

Quinoa – 1 cup
Onion – 1
Carrot – 2, shredded
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Chana dal – ½ tsp
Urad dal – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – few
Red or Green chillies – 4
Salt

Method

Pressure cook quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water for 2 whistles. After the pressure in the cooker has subsided, fluff the quinoa with a fork. Now, that’s optional if you are in a hurry.

In a kadai or skillet, take a tsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, chillies and sauté till dal turns golden brown. Add onion, carrot and salt and cook the vegetables for 3 minutes. Onions should still retain their crunch. Add quinoa, mix and adjust the seasoning. Serve with a pickle.

This my Q entry for Nupur’s A-Z of Indian Vegetables.