Flavorful Coconut Quinoa with Aloo Kurma- vegan, gluten free.

Quinoa, the staple food of the Incan civilization, from the Andes, was made popular since the 1980s across the world, because of its superior nutrition profile. A pseudo cereal , meaning a grain like seed, with complete protein, on par with milk and is definitely a ‘superfood’.  Quinoa makes a good substitute for rice , grains in multiple recipes.  This dish, full of spice, is just a simple deviation from coconut rice.

It pairs well with potato based gravy, that adds the color and fullness to the meal. You can enjoy the coconut quinoa as it is, but with this potato spiced gravy (aka aloo kurma), there comes mellifluous heartiness.

Coconut Quinoa with Aloo Kurma

Spicy yet sweet, rich Coconut Quinoa with perfect pairing by Aloo Kurma.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Coconut Quinoa

• 1 cup Quinoa lightly dry roasted
• 2 cups Coconut milk store bought or extracted fresh
• 1/4 cup Red onion sliced
• 1/2 cup Carrot shredded
• 2 Green chilies sliced
• 1/2 cup Green peas – frozen
• 1/2 cup Chopped green peppers optional
• 1 Small potato cubed optional
• 1/2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 2 Bay leaf
• 1/4 cup Mint leaves
• Cilantro to garnish
• Coconut-shredded to garnish
• 1.5 tbsp Oil Cold pressed Avocado oil preferred
• Salt to taste

Aloo Kurma

• 3 Potatoes boiled and cubed
• 1/2 cup Red onion finely chopped
• 1 small Tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Ginger grated
• 1 Medium spicy Green chili sliced length wise
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• Cilantro to garnish
• Salt to taste

Spice Paste for the aloo kurma

• 2 tbsp Fresh Coconut
• 1/2 tbsp Cumin lightly dry roasted
• 1/4 tbsp Fennel lightly dry roasted
• 1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds lightly dry roasted
• 2 Dry red chilies

Equipment

• Blender for spice paste and if extracting coconut milk
• Strainer for coconut milk if extracting the milk from fresh grated coconut

Method

 

Quinoa

1. Take a deep wide pan, add oil. Once hot, then add whole spices, let the aroma come out.

   Add onions, ginger garlic paste, then green chilies. Saute them for a minute.

   Add carrots and any vegetables of choice, chopped into the pan. Stir for about 2 min.

   Add the quinoa that was lightly toasted. Then add 2 cups coconut milk. Mix well. Add salt per taste. Let it cook on medium heat.  Give it time. You will see the quinoa grains slowly increase in size. Simmer and put the lid on once most of the liquid evaporates, and quinoa will fluff up. Check in 8-10 min. Turn the stove off once quinoa is cooked well.

   Garnish with cilantro, fresh coconut. 

Aloo Kurma

1. In a heavy bottom pan add oil and once hot, add the onions, chilies, ginger. Then add tomatoes, cook till mushy. Add potato cubes that are boiled along with salt per taste.

   After 4-5 min, add the spice paste made as above. Mix well and let it cook with lid on for 6-8 min. Then take the lid off, add little water if needed for appropriate gravy consistency. Garnish with cilantro.
   
2. Serve the yummy coconut quinoa with the aloo kurma.

Notes

** You can use store bought coconut milk  or extract the coconut milk from fresh coconut. 

To extract the milk, blend grated fresh coconut in a high speed blender with little water and strain the mixture . Repeat the process by adding the residue back to the blender and then strain again.  Continue till the residue does not yield any milk and is dry.

 

** Soaking in advance, Rinsing thoroughly or toasting ahead , helps get rid of saponin in the outer layer, which can sometimes make quinoa bitter and give abdominal cramps.