A tasty and nutritious vegan dish that is perfect for breakfast or brunch. It has colorful seasonings, vegetables, and fluffy quinoa cooked all in one pot. This is a simple recipe that will make a delicious quinoa upma in about thirty minutes, complete with step-by-step instructions and photos!
About Upma Recipe
fluffy and slightly chewy texture, and terrific health benefits. Although it is technically a seed, quinoa is often classified as a whole grain and is treated as such in most recipes.
Each serving of quinoa is packed with protein, iron, manganese and phosphorus. Therefore, it is a popular ingredient in vegetarian and vegan cuisines.
The seeds are hard before cooking. But when cooked, the quinoa becomes softer while still having a tender, almost crunchy, and chewy bite. This texture and mild flavor make it a perfect substitute for other grains like rice, semolina, oats, etc.
heartiness,The traditional South Indian dish Upma is usually made with semolina or cream of wheat to create a light breakfast dish. However, to up the healthiness and heartiness, this easy quinoa upma recipe is sure to satisfy!
Upma Recipe
upma is a nutritious, hearty upma variant made with nutty quinoa seeds, vibrant seasonings and heathy mixed veggies. Make it for breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Take the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well in running water. Drain the water and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Keep the heat to a low. Add mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds begin crackling, then add cumin seeds, urad dal and moong dal or chana dal.
- Stir often and fry on a low heat until the urad dal and moong dal turn golden.
- Then add finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, dry red chili and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Fry on low heat for about half a minute.
- Next add finely chopped onions and curry leaves.
- Stir and sauté on a low to medium heat till the onions become translucent and soften.
- Then add finely chopped carrots, finely chopped french beans and frozen green peas. Mix well.
- Sauté on a low heat for two minutes.
- Then add the quinoa and mix very well again.
- Sauté for a minute or two on low heat.
- Add water and mix again.
- Add salt as per taste. Check the taste of the water and add more salt if needed.
- Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low heat till the quinoa seeds are cooked, softened, look translucent and fluffy.
- Once or twice you can stir the quinoa while the seeds are being cooked.
- When all the water has been absorbed and the grains appear translucent and cooked well, remove the lid and switch off the heat.
- Add the chopped coriander leaves.
- Give a quick stir and serve vegetable quinoa upma hot or warm with a few lemon wedges or coconut chutney or lime pickle.
Note
- Quinoa to water ratio: For one measure of quinoa, I add double the amount of water. I always cook quinoa covered in a pan and this proportion works very well for me.
- Rinsing quinoa: Always rinse quinoa seeds whether they are pre-rinsed or the regular variety. Rinsing helps in removing the bitterness that comes from saponin present on the seeds. Agitate or rub the seeds while rinsing.
- Veggie variations: Feel free to add vegetables like chopped broccoli, shredded cabbage, finely chopped or shredded carrots, green peas, chopped snap peas, frozen corn, grated beets or chopped bell peppers.
- Gluten-free variation: To make a gluten-free recipe, either skip adding asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida.
- Scale: Easily scale up the recipe to make a serving of four.
