Bisi Bele Bhath with Quinoa / Quinoa Lentil Vegetables Stew | Indian Quinoa Recipes

Here I am again talking about Quinoa - the super grain. Quinoa has become an important part of my kitchen and I love cooking with the guilt free ingredient. I have made it a habit to use this in my cooking atleast twice a week. If it is not in a dish which substitutes rice like Bisi Bele Bath or Pumpkin Pulao, it finds its place in my Veg Clear soup, Adai or Pancakes. I was quite skeptical when I substituted this for rice in DH's favorite Bisi Bele Bath. Bisi Bele Bath (kannada) translates as Hot Lentil dish. There are certain recipes which he wouldn't allow me to tweak and this was on of them. When I first made this dish with quinoa, it took some time for him to notice the change. When he finished he was a happy man and he didn't miss the rice in this one.

Ingredients:
Quinoa - 3/4 cup
Toor Dhal - 3/4 cup
Tomato - 1 - chopped finely
Mixed vegetables - 3 cups - I used a mix of carrots, beans, cauliflower, peas and whole shallots
Bisi Bele Bath Masala Powder - 2 tbsp or to taste
Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup - juice from big gooseberry sized tamarind
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tempering/Tadka:
Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Cashew nuts - 5 (optional)

Method:
Wash and soak the quinoa and toor dhal together for 15 mins. Drain and pressure cook with tomato, turmeric powder and salt for 3 whistles. When pressure is released mash with the back of a ladle and add the vegetables. Cook for another whistle and allow the pressure to release. Add the bisi bele bath masala powder, tamarind extract and cook in low flame for 10 minutes until the flavours meld. In a small kadai, heat ghee and splutter the mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and cashew nuts and saute until light brown. Pour the tempering over the quinoa-dhal mixture. Serve hot as the name says with any side dish of your preference. I served with Cucumber Raita.