Quinoa Pulao
A Healthy Alternative for the Rice Pulao
Imagine coming back home to the scintillating aroma of basmati rice, cooked with ghee (clarified butter), spices, and peas… That is Pulao for you — age-old comfort food in an Indian household, quick to prepare and delightful to taste! But also loaded with carbs and not the healthiest for someone looking to lose weight.
So, here’s a healthier alternative — simply replace the rice with quinoa and (if you want to bring home the bacon) ghee with olive oil. What you end up with is Quinoa Pulao! Enjoy the recipe guilt-free and raise a toast to good health.
Recipe
Preparation Time: 2–5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10–15 minutes
Serves: 3–4 people
Ingredients
- Quinoa: 2 cups
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
- Cumin Seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
- Star Anise: 1–2
- Cloves: 2–3
- Green Cardamom: 2–3
- Cinnamon: 1–2 small pieces
- Green Peas (frozen or fresh): 1 cup
- Salt (as per taste)
- Pepper (as per taste)
- Water: 3 cups
- Sprig of mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Place a pot on the stove and add extra virgin olive oil. Wait until you get the aroma of the olive oil.
2. To test the temperature of the olive oil, add 1–2 cumin seeds and check if they sizzle. If they do, the oil has reached the right temperature. Add the remaining cumin seeds, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and green cardamom to the oil. Wait until you get the aroma of the spices.
3. Add quinoa to the pot and mix well.
4. Add green peas to the pot and mix well.
5. Add water to the pot and mix well.
6. Add salt and pepper as per taste. The water in the pot should taste a little salty.
7. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low to medium flame for 10–15 minutes. Check if the quinoa is cooked.
8. Serve Quinoa Pulao with a generous dollop of yogurt and mango pickle. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
You can customize this recipe to your liking. Play around with the spices — bay leaves, peppercorns, black cumin, black cardamom, and allspice are great options. You can also add any veggies of your choice — carrots, capsicum, paneer, cauliflower, broccoli, and mushrooms go very well with this recipe.
Why is Quinoa Pulao healthier than Rice Pulao?
White rice primarily contains carbohydrates. On the other hand, quinoa is a much healthier alternative to white rice because it contains fewer carbohydrates. Instead, it contains proteins and fiber. Quinoa has a lower glycemic index than white rice, which means it does not spike blood glucose levels after consumption like white rice does. The fiber in quinoa helps to lower cholesterol, decrease triglycerides, and control blood sugar. Quinoa also has higher amounts of essential amino acids. Lastly, quinoa has higher amounts of minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc as compared to white rice. So, substitute quinoa for white rice in your daily diet and enjoy rice occasionally!
