Quinoa pongal with Minty Coriander chutney

Pongal is one of the usual breakfast in Tamilnadu (one of the South Indian states). I have to admit I used to hate pongal, the reason being it was just cooked rice and split mung bean with loads and loads of clarified butter (ghee) and pepper. My mum always had to make something else cos I was adamant not to eat it. Since last May/so, I have reduced my intake of rice substituting it with world's yummiest grain, Quinoa :) Came back from work yesterday and all I wanted was quinoa and lentils. I was going through my paati's (granny) recipes I saw a non-vegan version of pongal. The Einstein part of my brain was so active I decided to make vegan quinoa pongal.

If you have a pressure cooker, this is really easy to make. Else, use a heavy-lid pan to make it.

Ingredients- Serves 3 (on a portion control diet)

• Quinoa-3/4 cup


• Split yellow mung bean-3/4 cup


• Cashews-10


• Curry leaves-10


• Pepper-coarsely ground-3 Tbsp (lesser if you want less spicier effect)


• Mustard seeds (2 tsp) Cumin seeds (1 tsp)


• Ginger grated- 1.5 Tbsp


• Rice bran oil-2 Tbsp


• Asafoetida-a pinch


• Turmeric- 1 tsp


• Salt-to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook/Cover and cook quinoa and lentils with 3.5-4 cups of water.


• Next step is to season it. In a pan, add oil,heat it,add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, turmeric, cashews, wait for it to be about brown, add ginger and pepper and pour it over the quinoa and lentil mixture.


• Add salt and mix them well. Serve with chutney

Minty Coriander chutney

Ingredients:

• Mint leaves-2 handfuls


• Coriander leaves-2 handfuls


• Ginger-a small piece


• Coconut (fresh/frozen)-1/4 cup


• Garlic-one pod


• Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp


• Oil-a tsp


• Cumin seeds-1 tsp


• Curry leaves-7


• Green chili-1


• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Method

• In a pan, add mint and coriander leaves fry them until they shrink under heat, turn off the flame,let it cool and blend it with green chili, ginger, garlic, coconut, tamarind, salt.


• In a pan, add oil, heat it and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cury leaves and pour them over the chutney

Tomato Sesame seed Dip

Tomato Sesame seed dip/chutney

 Ingredients

• Tomato-1.5 sliced


• Sesame seeds-2 tsp


• Garlic-2 pods


• Green chilli-1; Dry chilli-2


• Mustard seeds, white urad dal, cumin seeds-1 tsp each


• Curry leaves-one strand;


• Asafoetida/Hing-1 pinch


• Coconut-1 tbsp


• Onion-1/2 finely chopped


• Rice bran oil-2 tsp


• Salt- to taste

Method

• In a sauce pan, dry toast sesame seeds


• In the pan, add 1tsp oil and then when it is hot, add white urad dal and cumin seeds. Wait until urad dal turns red and take it off heat and add to sesame seeds


• In the pan, with the remaining oil, fry green chilli, red chilli,garlic and tomatoes until tomatoes are cooked and let it cool to be blended.


• In a blender, add the seeds and urad dal and once they blend, add the tomatoes, chilli and coconut and blend them all together


• In the pan, add 1tsp oil, wait for it to heat,then add mustard seeds, hing, wait for the cracking sound, add curry leaves, fry onions with salt and add the blended paste and mix them all before transferring the contents to container.

Serves:2 people