Quinoa-Pongal

 #QuinoaPongal #QuinuaPongal :

#Quinoa is a pseudocereal just like #Buckwheat. It is called pseudocereal because the edible seeds are obtained from a flowering plant and not from grass. Quinoa, a flowering plant belongs to amaranth family. The scientific name is Chenopodium quinoa.

Quinoa is high in protein and gluten free.

A cup of quinoa gives twice the amount of protein and 5 g more fiber than the same amount of Rice.

It is rich in Vitamin B, dietary minerals and dietary fiber.

100 gms of uncooked Quinoa contains 14.1 gms of protein [ 20% of daily value DV ], folate 184 ug [ 46 % of DV and higher amount of dietary minerals like Magnesium 197 mg [ 55% ], Manganese 2 mg [ 95 % ], Zinc 3.1 mg [ 33 % ], and Phosphorus 457 mg [ 65 % ].

100 gms of cooked Quinoa is rich source of Manganese and Phosphorus [ 30 % and 22 % respectively ], moderate source of dietary fiber [10 - 19 %], folate, Iron and Zinc [ 11% of DV each ].

To know more on Quinoa

As usual I prepared pongal from quinoa [ quinua ] also.

Preparation Time          : 5 mins

Cooking Time               : 15 mins

Quantity prepare           : 2 1/2 Cup approx.

Ingredients :
3/4 Cup	Quinoa [ quinua ]
1/4 Cup	Green gram split
1/4 Tsp	Fenugreek [ optional ]
1 Tsp	Black Pepper
1 1/2 Tsp	Cumin seeds
1 Tsp	Ginger finely chopped
1 Tsp	Turmeric tuber finely chopped *
10 - 15	Curry leaves
4 - 5 cloves	Garlic, chop nicely
1	Green chilly slit lengthwise [ optional ]
3/4 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
To Temper :
5 - 6	Cashew nuts, break into pieces
1 Tsp	Cumin seeds
8 - 10	Black pepper
10 - 12	Curry leaves
3 -4 Tsp	Ghee

* Turmeric tuber can be replaced with 1/4 Tsp of turmeric powder.

Method :

Take a pressure cooker and put quinoa, green gram and fenugreek [ venthayam ].

Rinse well with water.

Add cumin seeds, slightly crushed black pepper, finely chopped ginger, turmeric tuber, garlic, slit green chilli, salt and curry leaves.

 Now add 3 cups of water and mix well.

Close the pressure cooker with its lid and put the weight on.

Pressure cook on HIGH flame for a whistle and then cook for 8 mins on SIM.

Turn off the stove and wait till the steam goes off.

It will take approximately 10 mins to run out of steam.

Open the cooker.

Heat a kadai with ghee on a stove over medium heat.

Crackle cumin seeds and then add black pepper.

Fry till black pepper starts spluttering and emanates aroma.

At this stage add curry leaves and pour on to the hot ponagal in the cooker.

Again keep the kadai on the stove and fry broken pieces of cashews adding a tsp of ghee.

Transfer once the cashew pieces turn golden brown in color.

Add rest of the ghee also into the cooker and mix well.

Serve hot quinoa pongal on a plate, add plenty of ghee over it.

Relish along with an apt accompaniment.

The first choice being Pongal thuvaiyal [ Coconut Thuvaiyal ] and

the second choice would be vadava thuvaiyal.

Quinoa [ quinua ] pongal also goes well with coconut chutney or 

citron pickle or Pudina Sauce.

You might like to try :

Quinoa Paruppu Payasam

Quinoa Conjee [ Quinoa soup ]

Pesarattu

Idli from Pesarattu dough

Green gram vada

Buckwheat Pongal

For other tiffin varieties

Breakfast and Dinner ideas


For Accompaniments

Chutney Varieties

Ideas for dishes from Edible seeds

Edible seeds Recipes