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Kit out with quinoa

For fitness freaks, this wheat-free alternative is a great menu option to stay on track with your health goals

Quinoa Tabbouleh
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
125 gm quinoa, rinsed well
Salt to taste
30 ml fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 gm freshly ground black pepper
1 cucumber
30 gm cherry tomatoes, halved
30 gm flat-leaf parsley, chopped
20 gm fresh mint, chopped
10 gm scallions, thinly sliced
Method
Bring quinoa, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 ¼ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing as per taste with salt and pepper.
Spread out quinoa on a large rimmed baking sheet and allow to cool. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in ¼ cup of the prepared lemon-and-garlic dressing.
Add cucumber, tomato, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle remaining dressing on top, and serve.

Quinoa-crusted Podi-spiced Tofu
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
¼ cup quinoa
1 tsp chutney podi
½ tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
250 gms firm tofu
Oil to grease grill pan
Method
Roughly pound the quinoa or lightly whizz it in the mixer (you don't want it to be powdered, just slightly broken).
Mix the spices together with the pounded quinoa, and season to taste.
Coat sliced tofu with spiced quinoa and lightly sauté on a grill pan to desired donness.
Serve with a lettuce salad on the side.

Arabian Quinoa on a bed of Hummus
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
100 gm quinoa
20 gm gherkins, diced
5 gm zataar
1 tsp cumin powder
10 gm parsley, chopped
20 gm onion, chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
10 gm mint, chopped
40 gm cucumber, diced
80 gm hummus
Sprinkle of paprika powder
20 ml olive oil
Method
Cook the quinoa in stock. Set aside and keep warm.
Fold in the other ingredients, except the last three. Check seasoning.
Spread the hummus on a plate and spoon the quinoa mix on top of it.
Sprinkle with paprika powder and drizzle olive oil on top. Serve.

Quinoa Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 2+ hrs
Cook time: 45 mins
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
1 medium chicken, cut into eight pieces
1 ½ cup quinoa
½ tsp sea salt
2 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 onions, thinly sliced
For the marinade:
1 ½ cup plain yoghurt
¼ cup olive oil
2 whole cardamom pods
1 whole cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
½ tsp black pepper (whole or ground)
2 tsp sea salt
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1-2 green chilli peppers, seeds removed and chopped (optional)
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Fresh cilantro and mint, chopped
Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the chicken. Cover and leave in the fridge for 6-8 hours (or at least 1 hour).
In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa with the salt and the spices for the quinoa, and cook for about 7 minutes, until the quinoa is half cooked. Strain the water from the quinoa.
Sauté the onions in butter until lightly brown.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, put the chicken with the marinade in the bottom. Add half the quinoa.
Sprinkle some chopped coriander/mint leaves and the sautéed onions. Then add the remaining quinoa.
Cover the dish tightly and cook for 5 minutes on high heat, then 15 minutes on medium heat. Continue cooking on low heat until chicken is cooked through (about 10 more minutes).
Serve with your choice of garnishing with coriander leaves or fried onion slices.

Quinoa Halwa
Prep time: 35 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
½ cup ghee
1 cup quinoa
2 tsp besan
1 tsp corn flour
2 cups water
½ cup sugar
4-5 cardamom crushed saffron
¼ cup milk
¼ cup raisins
Silver leaf, to garnish
Method
Heat ghee and roast the quinoa, besan and corn flour.
On the side, make a syrup of water, sugar, saffron and milk - and add to the roasted quinoa; mix well till thick.
Remove from heat and add raisins; mix.
Cool and serve, garnished with some silver leaf.

Quinoa Hazelnut Laddoos
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the ladoo:
100 gm cooked quinoa
150 gm hazelnut powder
50 gm crushed hazelnut pieces
50 gm icing sugar
30 gm hazelnut paste/ Nutella
2 mashed bananas
To coat:
250 gm dark chocolate
1 packet digestive biscuits, crushed
Method
Combine all the ingredients for the ladoos and make small balls; freeze for 30 minutes until firm.
Melt dark chocolate and dip each ball in it.
Coat with crushed digestive biscuits and let it set. Serve chilled.