“A seed of wonder, health & ease
Cooked in minutes, it aims to please
Savory for breakfast, with meat for lunch
Or throw in a salad, and use your hunch
Stir with coconut, for a luscious pudding
But having with curry, is kinda my thing!”
Anyone who has grown up in Norther India has come to love Poha - that light & easy breakfast dish traditionally made with flattened rice. But what's the fun in traditional! Here is my version with quinoa - full of flavor, pretty healthy and completely vegan/GF.
Quinoa Poha2
Ingredients
½ red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated/finely chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
1 cup chopped veggies of choice - I used a mix of red pepper, green pepper & carrots
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons raw peanuts
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds (optional)
¾ cup quinoa, cooked as per instructions
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Some chopped cilantro for garnish
Salt to taste
Quinoa Poha6
Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds & curry leaves and cook till the seeds begin to splutter. Stir in the peanuts & pumpkin seeds (if using) and cook for another minute. Now add the ginger, garlic & onions and cook till the onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes, along with the dry spices and cover to cook on medium heat till tomatoes are tender. Mix in all the vegetables and cook for another 4-5 minutes – longer if you prefer you prefer your vegetables to lose the crunch. I personally don’t!
Quinoa Poha5
Finally, stir in the quinoa and mix well. Remove from heat and drizzle the lemon juice. Cover and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Use this time to call all your vegan/GF friends & boast about the magic you're about to taste!
Fluff sligtly with a fork, garnish with cilantro & serve hot. Mmm....
Quinoa Poha1