Quinoa Poha is a healthy twist on a popular Indian breakfast dish, made by replacing flattened rice (poha) with protein and fiber-rich quinoa, and vegetables.
Prep the ingredients: Slice onion, peel and cube potatoes, grate or finely chop ginger. Rinse the quinoa in a mesh sieve, it removes the bitter coating on the quinoa beads.
Turn Instant Pot on Sauté. When it's hot, add oil and mustard seeds. When mustard start spluttering, add grated ginger, onions, green chili, cubed potatoes and curry leaves. Saute for 1 minute.
Add cashews, all dry spices, frozen peas, quinoa, water and ketchup. Stir well. Close lid. Set valve to 'Sealing' mode. Cook on MANUAL (High) for 1 minute. For a softer quinoa, cook for 2 minutes on the same setting.
Open lid after natural pressure release or quick release after 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add chopped cilantro, sugar (optional) and lime juice. Stir with the fork and serve warm.
Stove top recipe
Slice onion, peel and cube potatoes, grate or finely chop ginger. Rinse the quinoa in a mesh sieve, it removes the bitter coating on the quinoa beads.
Heat a sauce pan on medium-high heat. When it's hot, add oil and mustard seeds. When mustard start spluttering, add grated ginger, onions, green chili, cubed potatoes and curry leaves. Saute for 1 minute. Add cashews, all dry spices, quinoa, water as per your quinoa brand directions, and ketchup. (I usually add 1 cup water for ½ cup quinoa). Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Open lid and add peas, cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes in the pan. Fluff with a fork. Garnish with cilantro, sugar and lime. Serve warm. (You may need to adjust the cooking time based on your brand of quinoa.)
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Notes
Rinse Quinoa: The quinoa seed is coated with a bitter layer called saponin. To remove that, rinse the quinoa 2 to 3 times with water then drain.
Nuts: I use cashews in this recipe. Feel free to use an equal quantity of roasted peanuts instead, or skip the nuts altogether for a nut-free poha.
Cooking time: Quinoa cooking times may vary depending on the brand you have. If 2 minutes of pressure cooking time is not enough for your brand, try 3 or 4 minutes next time.
Pressure Release: Natural Pressure release is critical for best results and soft and fluffy quinoa.
Using ketchup: Ketchup is optional but I highly recommend it. It adds a perfect blend of sweet and zing to this dish and you cannot taste it in the end.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.