Lemon Rice using quinoa

Lemon rice is one of my favorite quick fix dish. I make it whenever I have leftover white cooked rice. Now a days I make it with quinoa . It's a health , quick , high protein recipe. Definitely give it a try.

Ingredients:

Quinoa - 1 cup
Onion -1 medium sized , finely chopped
Red dry chillies -2/3
Curry leaves - 7-8
Peanuts -10
Split pea lentil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cashews - 10 (optional)
Oil -2 tsp
Salt per taste
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 3 tsp

Recipe:
1. Cook quinoa in 2 cup of water and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan, when heated, add mustard seeds once spluttered, add split pea lentil and curry leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add red chilies,
2. Add chopped onion and sauté until little caramelized.
3. Now add turmeric powder and sauté for a few seconds.
4. Add peanuts and sauté for few seconds , add cashews as well if using.
5. Add cooked quinoa and mix well.
6. Mix salt per taste in a bowl with lemon juice.
7. Now add this salted lemon juice in pan with quinoa and mix well. Cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
8. Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro.

Tips:
1. You can replace quinoa with cooked white rice/ brown rice .
2. Use per roasted peanuts / cashews to save time, if salted adjust salt accordingly.
3. You can use lemon juice in bottle available in super markets.

Quinoa Appam

Ingredients:

• Quinoa [1 cup] (I usually buy organic one from Costco)

• Brown Rice [1 cup] or white rice [1 cup]

• Split Pigeon peas  (Toor Daal)  [1 cup]

• Ginger [around 1 inch piece]

• Green Chillies [approx 3-4] according to taste

• Salt according to taste

• Cumin Seeds [1/2 tsp]

• Garam Masala [1 tsp]

• Shredded Carrots [1/2 cup]

• Shredded Cabbage [1/2 cup]

• Turmeric powder [1/4 tsp]

• Shredded coconut [1/2 cup ] [optional]

• some oil for making appam

Recipe:

1.     Soak Rice, Quinoa , Lentil (Toor daal) for around 3 hours in water.

2.    after 3 hours remove excess water and grind into a paste (use some water if needed for grinding), but avoid excess of water.

3.    Mix ginger and green chili and grind again.

4.    Once grounded properly mix salt, cumin seeds, garam masala , shredded cabbage and carrots , turmeric powder, coconut.

5.    When ready Heat appam pan on gas on medium or low medium heat. pour few drops of oil in each mold.

Quinoa Appam

6.    Then pour spoonful of batter in each mold, cover with a lid and cook until the lower side turns golden brown. Keep the heat on low to medium low the entire time, otherwise the outside of the appam will get dark while the inside remains uncooked. 

Flip over and cook the other side until it is cooked . Remove and serve hot with some ketchup or chutney.