May 14, 2017

Tasty Indian Vegetable Quinoa Upma for Breakfast

Name: Tasty Indian Vegetable Quinoa Upma for Breakfast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ Cup Quinoa; 1 ½ Cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables; ½ Onion; 2 Green Chillies; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds; A pinch of Asafoetida (Optional); 4 tsp Lemon Juice; Cilantro for garnish; Salt; Oil

Every time I start cooking with a new ingredient I have a tendency to get fixated on it till I can make a couple of good recipes with it. To be honest I am surprised it took me this long to find this latest obsession. It is none other than what some people consider as SUPERFOOD i.e. QUINOA. For some one like me who has started working out regularly these days quinoa seems to be the perfect ingredient for a post-workout meal. Put this super ingredient in a popular Indian dish and the end result is “Tasty Indian Vegetable Quinoa Upma”; a power-packed, healthy meal to help kick-start your day.

Super food Quinoa

Having your own blog does have plenty of advantages one of which is getting to eat something new and tasty every week. Well thanks for stating that Captain Obvious!!! (CHUCKLES!!). On the flip side all the delicious food does make it more difficult to watch your weight. Before you even realize it the size of your stomach has indeed grown a few inches (LAUGHS!!!). Unfortunately this is exactly what has happened to me.

So the time has come for me to make a couple of much needed changes in my life. I have already implemented the first change which is to work out regularly. The exercise does need to be matched by a proper diet for the maximum effect. Now I love my food too much to suddenly start dieting/eating salads all the time (LAUGHS!). The way I was going to do this is by eating in moderate quantities and by cooking with fresh and healthy ingredients which was what ultimately led me to quinoa.

Quinoa for Breakfast !!

Having read all the potential benefits of quinoa I was absolutely going to give this super food a try. I usually workout in the mornings so I started thinking of ways to have quinoa for breakfast. Actually I did not have to think too much because all I did was use quinoa in an UPMA which is a dish I make for breakfast all the time. UPMA is a porridge that is made with roasted semolina. So I figured I could simply replace the semolina with quinoa and make this delectable “QUINOA UPMA”.

How to Cook Fluffy Quinoa

Rinse quinoa several times under running water in a mesh strainer. It helps to remove the bitterness. Drain and keep aside.

Boil 3 cups of water in a pot. I added the quinoa and cooked it for about 14 – 15 minutes or till all the water gets absorbed by the quinoa. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Once cooked it increases in volume by 3 times.

You can also toast the quinoa until lightly browned for an extra flavor before adding water.

How to make Quinoa Upma on a stove top

Heat oil in a pan and add the asafoetida, cumin seeds as well as mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter add the chillies and roast for about a minute. Mix in the onions and saute till they are golden brown in color. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes. Finally add the cooked quinoa and saute for 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt, garnish with cilantro and then add a touch of lemon juice for extra flavor. Serve hot.

Eating the Upma gave me such a jolt of energy that I felt like I could go back to the gym and run five miles on the treadmill!!!!

How to make Quinoa Upma in the Instant Pot

Press the saute button and add oil. When the oil is hot add the asafoetida, cumin seeds as well as mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter add the chillies and roast for about a minute. Mix in the onions and saute till they are golden brown in color. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes. Finally add the quinoa and saute for 2-3 minutes more. Now add 3 cups of water. Season with salt. Mix well. Cover the lid. Cancel the saute mode and pressure cook for 12 minutes.

Few Variations in making quinoa upma

Quinoa can be replaced with semolina, cauliflower rice or milets.
You can add any of your favorite veggies like cauliflower, beans, carrots, corns, peas, edamame, mushrooms or potatoes.
Add toasted peanuts, cashew nuts or some pomegranate seeds for extra crunch.

Notes

For every 1 cup of quinoa use 2 cup of water. It is the perfect ratio for perfectly fluffy quinoa.
You can also use a rice cooker/instant pot to cook the quinoa. Ratio of quinoa to water is the same.

Serving Suggestion

Serve vegetable quinoa upma hot with a few lemon wedges or a coconut chutney. Serve it as a breakfast or snack with a cup of tea. It makes a healthy, light meal.

Make Ahead

I usually cook quinoa in a rice cooker at night. It takes 15 minutes to cook quinoa in the rice cooker. Once it cools down keep it in the refrigerator. When ready to make breakfast follow the remaining steps. Breakfast is ready in less than 10 minutes.

Storage Suggestions :

Leftover quinoa upma keeps well, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days. Make sure it has cooled to room temperature before keeping it in the refrigerator..

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