Quinoa is pronounced as “Keen-wah” and is considered as an abroad grown Foxtail millet, as it has nutty taste and texture just as our foxtail millet(thinai). In this khichdi, quinoa is cooked to mushy texture and hence can be given to kids as well as elderly people. This is an easy, yet filling meal that can be served with an omlette or curd or fryums or just pickle.
Quinoa khichdi
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- Quinoa - 1 cup
- Moongdal - ½ cup
- Water - 4 cups
- Ghee - 1 or 2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
- Asafoetida - big pinch
- Onion - 1
- Garlic - 1 clove(optional)
- Tomato - 1
- Turmeric powder - 1 pinch(optional)
- Sambar powder - 1 or 2 tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp or as required
Instructions
- Wash and soak 1 cup quinoa with ½ cup moongdal in water for 30 mins.
- In Pressure cooker or Instapot(saute mode), add ghee.
- Once hot, add cumin seeds.
- Once cumin seeds start to change color(do not darken), add a big pinch of asafoetida and 1 chopped onion along with chopped garlic(optional).
- Once onions start to change color, add 1 chopped tomato along with 1 pinch turmeric powder(optional).
- Once tomato turns mushy, add 4 cups water.
- Drain soaked quinoa+moongdal and add it to water.
- Add 1 tsp salt.
- Close the lid, put the whistle and pressure cook in medium-high flame for 6 whistles in pressure cooker or cook in high pressure level for 12 mins in instapot.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open and heat to thicken, if required. Tastes good as runny or slightly thickened. Turn off as per your desired consistency. But pls, note that this khichdi will thicken over time, in room temperature.
- Serve hot with ghee. Goes well with curd or pickle or fryums/vadaam.
Notes
1.You shall use oil in place of ghee to temper. Or use 1 tsp ghee + 1 tsp oil as ghee renders nice flavor to this dish.
2.Either use asafoetida or garlic to handle gastric issues. I use both.
3.If you don't want too much dal, you shall reduce moongdal to ⅓ cup.
4.At least 10 mins soaking time is recommended.
5.If you have soaked quinoa+moongdal for 30 minutes, then just 10 mins in High pressure level in instapot is enough. Or just 5 whistles in pressure cooker is enough.
2.Either use asafoetida or garlic to handle gastric issues. I use both.
3.If you don't want too much dal, you shall reduce moongdal to ⅓ cup.
4.At least 10 mins soaking time is recommended.
5.If you have soaked quinoa+moongdal for 30 minutes, then just 10 mins in High pressure level in instapot is enough. Or just 5 whistles in pressure cooker is enough.
You shall serve runny as in first pic or thick as in the below pic. I love both consistencies. I have used Tri-color quinoa in the pics, but the same recipe applies to both white and colored quinoa varieties. I always make this quinoa khichdi, when I wanted to make something quicker with less efforts. When I am planning to go out for 1 or 2 hours before lunch or dinner time, I make this in instapot, set the timer and go out. While returning, it will be hot and ready to eat! If you don’t have time to soak, you shall use “delay start” option in instapot and set to start after 20 mins, so that it will be soaked and cooked.
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