About this recipe
Quinoa is one of the most nutritious grains and a good source of iron too. That makes it a great option for breakfast. It is also a vegan and gluten-free option if you are looking for that. I agree to be sent email.
Quinoa can be a great substitute for rice or sooji that are very high in carbs. Quinoa Upma brings a fresh breath of life among breakfast options. If you are looking for the best quinoa Indian recipe, then I will strongly recommend this quinoa upma recipe as opposed to some of my other Indian recipes with quinoa like vegetable quinoa, lemon quinoa.
🥘Ingredients
Quinoa - When you shop for Quinoa, you will notice there are three kinds: Black, Red, and White(Golden) Quinoa. The nutritional benefits are just the same in either of these options but the cooking time varies for each kind. I chose white quinoa as it takes the least time to cook among the three. Curry leaves - Curry leaves give a nice aroma and flavor to the quinoa upma recipe. It’s what gives the dish the authentic Indian aroma. Cashews nuts - The addition of cashew nuts or any other nut is optional. Feel free to skip it, if you do not have any. But if you do, chop them into small pieces to fry them evenly. Onion - When I prepared on the stovetop I added the onion. But this is also totally optional. So this is a good option to prepare on Vrat/fasting days too.
🔪Instructions
I am sharing two easy methods to prepare this. The Instant pot quinoa version and the stovetop version. First, let us start with the Instant Pot Method. Instant Pot Method Wash the quinoa in clean water. Rinse and drain them. Now add the rinsed quinoa, salt, and water to the inner pot. First, press saute and add cooking oil to the inner pot. When the oil heats up add mustard seeds, urad dal, and red chili. Saute them until mustard seeds sizzle. Add curry leaves, cashews, ginger, and green chilies. Saute them all up to 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the inner pot. Now add the chopped carrots, and frozen peas and mix well. Add the rinsed quinoa, salt, and water to the inner pot. Close the Instant Pot lid and press cancel. Press the ‘pressure cook’ option and cook for 2 minutes. Once the timer is done. Wait until the pressure is naturally released. Open the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Quinoa Upma is ready! Serve hot with chai. Stovetop method Place a vessel over medium heat. Fry the spices (Mustard seeds, and Black gram) and red chilies in 3 tablespoon oil. Then add ginger, green chilies, fry it for a few seconds, followed by chopped onions(optional). When the onions turn transparent, add tomatoes. Now add the mixed vegetables and saute them for a few minutes and add salt. Stir them well. Later, add washed quinoa and 3 cups water and continue to stir to make sure you have an even mixture. Place a lid and let it simmer (on low flame). After 20 minutes of quinoa, Upma is ready
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📖 Recipe
UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published on Aug 06, 2016. It was updated on January 03, 2021, with new photos and text.
