This humble recipe is a great one-pot protein-packed meal, ready in a jiffy and good for you. Growing up in an Indian household, daal has been a staple meal. This recipe marries Indian ingredients with non-traditional ones creating a healthy yet delicious meal.
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Things You\’ll Need
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1/2 cup split moong daal, washed and soaked for 20 minutes
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1/2 cup quinoa (I use the one that does not require soaking/washing)
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1/2 medium onion, sliced thin
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1 serrano pepper, diced (adjust to taste)
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1/2 teaspoon each of cumin seeds, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, chaat masala
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Salt to taste
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Pinch of asafoetida
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2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
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1-1/2 tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)
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1/3 cup diced paneer or firm tofu (optional)
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1 medium tomato chopped
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1-3/4 cup water
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1/3 cup chopped cilantro
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Juice of half a lemon
Tip
If you prefer less heat, don't dice the serrano pepper — leave it whole.
Step 1
In a saute pan with a lid, add the ghee and heat it up on medium high heat. Once hot, add the asafoetida and cumin seeds. Let it cook until the cumin is fragrant, around a minute.
Step 2
Add the sliced onion and pepper, and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion softens.
Step 3
Mix in the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the turmeric, chili powder, coriander and salt, and saute for another 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add the quinoa and water to the pan and bring it to a boil. Once at a boil, add the drained moong daal (and diced paneer, if using), cover with a lid, and lower the flame to almost minimum/low. Let it cook for 15 minutes.
Tip
Paneer is an Indian cottage cheese. It's made out of milk and is considered a good protein food source for vegetarians.
Step 5
After 15 minutes, remove from the flame, but leave it covered for another 5 minutes. Then toss in the chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lemon juice, chaat masala and garam masala. Serve warm.
