Amino protein-rich and gluten free quinoa will satiate a hungry tummy on a hot summer day. It’s an excellent substitute for rice and flour, if you are seeking a lighter-on-the-tummy dinner or lunch option. While quinoa khichdi and pulao make for appetising one-pot meals, there’s a dessert recipe too if you need to soothe a sweet tooth.
Quinoa khichdi
Shilpa Shetty breaks down the steps of quinoa khichdi to make sure it doesn’t tun into a mushy goop, and yield 100 percent satisfaction in terms of taste and texture. She cooks quinoa and daal in vegetable stock—you can opt for chicken stock too—in a pressure cooker and explains the right ratio of water to grain. If you are unsure, feel free to cook them in an open vessel, but the water needs to be adjusted accordingly. With ghee, hing and cumin, she tempers the vegetables. For the next steps, watch this video.
Quinoa pulao
Redolent with the flavours of bay leaves, cardamon and cinnamon, this recipe for quinoa pulao is appetising in every way. Although the recipe doesn’t mention anything about adding dry fruits like cashew, raisins and almonds, feel free to throw in some toasted nuts to take it up a few notches. Watch the video to master a recipe that is tailor-made for the lunchbox.
Kesari quinoa
Most recipes of quinoa are about savoury dishes. But, here’s one for those who crave something sweet to end a meal. Kesari quinoa is a genius variation of kesari rava. Do not be fooled by this recipe and think of it as low-calorie. The amount of sugar and ghee it contains will banish such thoughts. It’s gluten-free though, and definitely a tad lighter on the stomach than the traditional kesari halwa made with semolina or wheat flour. Bon Appétit!
