As i overlook the window – It is still raining outside! – no sign of summer yet! I believe I have a love-hate relationship with the rain and snow season. I get all excited about the season’s first snow for a few weeks and then I drag myself the next few hating it to the core, even day-dreaming about warm sun and all fun things we do in the summer. Prashant usually keeps reminding me to embrace all the seasons when I roll my eyes pointing at the piles of snow and making weird faces like a 5 year old! Nevertheless the food part actually helps a lot to keep me going through the Minnesota snow season. All those warm, hot, cosy bowls of soup, beans chilli and what not! But today I want to talk about my love for Quinoa, a bowl of sweet-spicy-tangy Sweet-potato quinoa!
Quinoa (pronounced “kinwa” or “kinuwa”) needs no introductions to foodies around the world. Though I was pretty much unaware of it existence when I was about 20 something! I had never heard of it, and let’s face it – no 20 year old wants to go out and learn health benefits of quinoa, let alone eat it! So, as a 20 something girl, having moved overseas from India to the UK with my non-existent list of friends or family what so ever, I found my solace in the tiny-barely-can-fit kitchen of my university dorm. I loved experimenting with different ingredients and flavors on my spare time. As the days went by, I would spend 15 minutes in buying things that I needed and the next hour to browse through the aisles of grocery market. Though I will have to admit that I do that till this day!! (Cheeky face) And that’s how on one fine day I found quinoa, though I should admit what struck me more was that it had mentioned on the packaging that it cooks in less than 15 minutes!!! Say what?? 😮 , now that is what every 20-something is looking for, isn’t it?
The first taste of this ancient grain like seeds and I was on quinoa- heaven. It went on for weeks; I could not get it enough. I would cook up a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator and then add cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green, nuts and what not! Super healthy meal ready in minutes and it even holds up well for lunch-boxes I tell ya!
So, recently I seem to have re-visited my love for Quinoa. Quinoa is available at most grocery stores in red, white or black colors though I prefer the red ones more because I feel it holds up well after cooking it plus looks way prettier! It also feels nuttier and crunchier in taste compared to the white ones. But this is a personal preference; buy what works best for you. Cooking instruction for any type of quinoa is more or less the same.
Now coming to our recipe for today – This quinoa-bowl is very forgiving. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes cooked with lemony spiced onion and peppers marries well with the nuttiness of the quinoa. The refreshing punch of lemon juice and coriander packs a lots of freshness to this dish and an addition of the toasted cashews adds a creamy crunch. Overall this wholesome flavor-packed quinoa will soon become your go-to lunch meal or a side for next getogether.
- 1 cup quinoa
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 small sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (deseed to go easy on the heat)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Roasted cashew nuts, for garnish (optional)
- Fill the pot/pan about half way with water and add a dash of salt. Bring this to a boil and add the sweet potatoes. (There should be enough water to cover the sweet potatoes) Cover the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes or until soft yet tender to the touch of a knife. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
- Now wash the quinoa two-three times and drain well.
- Transfer the quinoa to a saucepan, add 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and then cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is almost absorbed. This takes anything between 12-15 minutes.
- Drain the cooked qunioa and transfer it to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, set aside.
- In the pan heat 3 tablespoon of oil. Add the chopped red onion and garlic and cook until the onions have softened a bit, about 3-5 minutes.
- Now add the cumin, coriander and chilli powder and cook, stirring until the spices realeases aroma, about a minute or so.
- Add chopped green chilli/jalapeno and bell peppers and cook for another 3-4 minutes or so. You want the peppers to retain the crunch.
- Add the cooked qunioa to the onion-pepper mixture and mix well and season with salt.
- Now add the sweet potatoes, lime juice and cilantro leaves and toss well.
- Garnish with extra lemon wedges and roasted cashew nuts, Serve!
You can add any veggie you like, just make sure all veggies are cut in same size.
If you do not prefer much of a spice in your food, then just omit jalapeño and add only red Chile Powder.
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