Quinoa Pilaf with Caramelised Red Onion
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Love this versatile dish that will literally accompany any main course or act as a lunch on its own. Quinoa basically will replace cous cous or rice in a dish and is much healthier, see notes.
Recipe type: Accompaniments
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) quinoa
- 1 celery, trimmed & chopped in small dice
- ½ sweet red pepper, chopped in small dice
- ½ c. cooked chickpeas
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 - 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp gr. coriander
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp thyme leaf
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¾ cup (450ml) organic stock
- 1 red onion sliced thinly
- 2 tsps coconut oil
- 2 tsps xylitol
- Optional: 2 cups chopped spinach OR ¼ c. minced parsley or coriander
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa leave to drain in a fine seive
- Heat olive oil on medium low in a 3 - 4 qt saucepan or sauté pan
- Fry garlic with mustard seeds for 1 minute
- Add celery and red pepper to pan sauté another two minutes
- Mix in the bay leaf, turmeric, coriander & cumin
- Turn the heat to medium high.
- Add the quinoa and hot water or stock, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 12 minutes
- Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan
- Sauté the onion slices for 1-2 minutes
- Add the sugar. Reduce the heat to cook to onions gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until caramelised.
- Stir in the optional greens, chickpeas, parsley or coriander
- Stir in the caramelised onions
- Season with malden sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- Cover and cook 5 more minutes, then serve
Notes
Quinoa has twice the protein content of rice or barley, and is also a very good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese. It also possesses good levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E and dietary fibre not to mentionis among the least allergenic of all the grains, making it a fantastic wheat-free choice and it has an excellent amino acid profile, as it contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete-protein source.
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