Quick healthy lunch - Val Papadi Quinoa.

Val Papadi Quinoa 

Since becoming pregnant, lunch usually calls for something quick and easy. The less time I spend in the kitchen, more time I get in relaxing, reading and doing whatever it is that I want to do . I adapted this recipe by interchanging rice for Quinoa to make it more healthy and wholesome.

Val Papadi Quinoa

Serves: 2

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : approx 15-20 mins.

Ingredients:

Uncooked Quinoa - 1 1/2 cup
Onion -  1/4 cup finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli paste - 1/2 tsp
Frozen or fresh val papadi - 1/2 cup
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

To temper:

Ghee/Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4

Recipe:

* In a pan, add the ghee/oil. Once the ghee is heated a little add mustard, the mustard will splutter to this add jeera and curry leaves.

* Once the jeera sizzles add the chopped onions, sautee for a min or two and then add ginger garlic & green chilli paste. Cook it till the raw smell goes away.

* Add the val papadi, garam masala and let it cook for a min or two. To this add the uncooked quinoa. I generally do not sautee my quinoa, as roasting it for a few mins produces a nutty flavor which I am not very fond off.

* Add 3 cups of water to the quinoa and cook. The quinoa will turn transparent and the germ of the quinoa will be seen. At this time the water should have also evaporated, switch off the gas and place a lid on the pan. Let it rest for 5-10 mins.

* The heat from closing the pan, makes the quinoa fluffy and light. The quinoa is ready to be served. Serve with chopped cilantro.

Val Papadi Quinoa with Kadi

Quinoa seasoned with mustard, spices and onions

It's my first Christmas in Portland. I have lived here for 2 1/2 years now and never been in the city during Christmas. It's surprising to see how busy all the shopping malls are. Just today we went to one near our home which is rather small and could not find any parking at all, which is quiet surprising as there is usually lots of parking in the area.

I have been at the shopping malls a lot lately, thanks to my sister who is visiting from India. So when it comes to cooking I don't have the time and patience to cook. Rice is staple food in South India, where I have lived for most part of my life. It is easy to cook and does not require a lot of effort. I have been trying to replace rice with quinoa in a variety of different dishes. My mom makes amazing vagharela quinoa, which means seasoned quinoa. And I made a similar dish just last week, here is the recipe.

Recipe: Quinoa seasoned with mustard, spices and onions

Serves: 2

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Quinoa
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic sliced
1 green chili slit lengthwise
1 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp jeera
4-5 curry leaves

Spices

1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste.

 1. Wash the quinoa using a sieve and place in a pot with 2 cups of water on medium flame. Let it cook for 7-8 mins. Cook until the water has almost evaporated. Switch the flame off and close the pot and let it sit for 4-5 mins. This makes the Quinoa fluffy.

If you need detailed explanation on how to cook Quinoa, here are some good tips from thekitchn.com which I absolutely love.

2. To the cooled quinoa add all the spices and mix with a fork.

3. In a pan, add olive oil, mustard and jeera. Once the seasoning starts to splutter, add the green chili, curry leaves, onions and chopped garlic. Add a pinch of salt to let the onions cook faster.

4. Next add the quinoa with the spices to the cooked onions. Stir and let the quinoa cook until everything is blended perfectly. This would take 4-5 mins.

5. Garnish with chopped cilantro or spring onions and serve hot.

Left over rice flatbread - Rice Theplas

When the sun is out in Oregon and the temp is in the mid 70's , I absolutely can't cook ! I just want to sit outside, read a book and have fun. That's the time I want to look for something quick & easy to cook. Left over rice theplas is a dish my mom used to make with left over rice or khichdi. Its a good way to use up left overs and also savor something delicious.

It was so delicious I had to take a bite :) 

Rice Theplas

Makes around 10 to 12 theplas.

Ingredients:

Left over rice - 1/2 to 1 cup

Wheat flour - 1 cup ( use 1/4 cup at a time).

Chopped onions - 1/4 cup

Turmeric  - 1/4 tspn

Chilli powder/Cayenne pepper  - 1/4 tspn

Ginger diced - a small piece

Garlic diced - a small piece.

Coriander - washed and chopped finely

Oil - 1 tbsp.

Salt to taste

In your food processor bowl, add all the ingredients with 1/4 cup of wheat flour and pulse, then add another 1/4 cup and pulse again, do the same until all ingredients are combined. You dont need to add any water.

If you dont have a food processor just add everything to a mixing bowl and mix again with 1/4 cup of wheat flour. Keep doing this until u have a dough ball which is moist and sticky.

Put one tbsp of oil over the dough, let all the sides be covered with oil. Place it in your bowl and close it and keep aside for 10 - 15 mins.

On your stove, place your pan and heat on medium heat. Make a small lemon shaped ball of the dough and roll out until it is of medium thickness. If you have holes in your thepla because of the onions its perfectly all right.

Ready to be cooked, can u see the small grains of rice?

Cooking on the pan

Place on hot pan, after bubbles form on one side, add a tsp of oil on top and flip the thepla. Using your spatula or a ball of tissue paper, press the thepla firmly on all sides. Make sure both sides are cooked thoroughly and do not have transparent surfaces. Use a more oil if needed.

Place them on a kitchen tissue and serve with chundoo, pickles or just plain yoghurt !