COUSCOUS UPMA

Ingredients:

35g Raw weight or 100g cooked weight Couscous
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
¼ tsp finely chopped ginger
½ tsp chopped green chilies or 1 to 2 green chilies – chopped
½ dry red chili – stem removed
3 curry leaves
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp urad dal
¼ tsp moong dal or chana dal
½ finely chopped carrot
3 French beans or ¼ cup finely chopped french beans
25g frozen peas
225ml water
1 tbs chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
salt as required

Method:

Take ½ cup quinoa in a fine strainer and rinse well in running water.
Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a pan. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds begin crackling, then add ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp urad dal and ½ tsp moong dal or chana dal.
Stir and sauté on a low flame. Sauté till the urad dal and moong dal turn golden.
Then add ½ tsp finely chopped ginger, 1 tsp chopped green chilies or 1 to 2 green chilies, chopped, 1 dry red chili and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Sauté for about half a minute.
Next add 1/3 cup finely chopped medium onion and 5 to 6 curry leaves.
Stir and sauté on a low to medium flame. Sauté till the onions become translucent.
Then add 1/3 cup finely chopped carrots, 1/4 cup finely chopped French beans and 1/3 cup frozen peas. Mix well. Sauté on a low flame for two minutes.
Then add the couscous. Mix very well again. Sauté for a minute or two on low flame.
Then add water. For 1/2 cup of quinoa 1 cup of water can be added. I added 1.25 cups water as I wanted a more fluffy and softer texture. Stir well. Add salt as per taste.
Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on a low flame till the quinoa seeds are cooked.
Once or twice, you can stir the upma while its being simmered.
When all the water has been absorbed and the grains appear translucent and cooked well, remove the lid, and switch off the flame.
Add 2 tbsp 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.

Nutrition Facts: