Sunday, May 22, 2011

Thai Quinoa

I had planned on posting a different recipe today however I made this recipe for Thai Quinoa and it was so good that I needed to share. I never got a chance to take a picture because it was gobbled up so fast-I hardly got a spoonful of it myself as it was such a hit with my guests but the spoonful I got was delicious. The combination of the jalapeno, basil and cilantro were wonderful. I did make one change. I didn't have any mango so I threw in a handful of craisins instead. I served it at room temperature. Next time I am doubling this one.


1 Cup dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
6 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves gently torn (discard stems)
1⁄3 cup minced red onion (about 1/2 small red onion)
1 handful Craisins
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
fine sea salt
1 tablespoon lime juice

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly either in a strainer or in a pot and drain. (Do not skip this step or a bitter-tasting, natural soap-like coating will remain.) Once the quinoa is drained, place it into a medium pot with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 10–15 minutes or until the grains turn translucent and the outer layer pops off. In the meantime combine the minced jalapeƱo, basil, cilantro, red onion, and craisins in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the oil, soy sauce, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
Add the drained quinoa and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 6-8 servings

4 comments:

Gila said...

sounds delish and I've been getting into quinoa so I'd like to try something new with it!

Thanks for the new idea!

My kids will not go for this though and I'm totally impressed that your kids ate it!

Arica said...

I think Danya ate some but Jordy wouldn't touch it(He doesn't eat anything). Truthfully we had some guests and they gobbled it right up. I think I am making it again this week though because it was so good.
I first made quinoa a few years ago and it has become a staple in our house-we love it! Let me know what you think!

Dvora said...

I made it with lemon juice in place of the lime (didn't have any; too lazy to come over to borrow some) and parsley in place of the cilantro (your great love for the herb notwithstanding, I think it tastes like soap, mostly the kind shaped like flowers and sitting in a bowl in fancier bathrooms than mine). I liked it a lot, and so did my big girls. We still have not developed a passion for it, but we are trying. Thanks for all the quinoa inspiration (quin-spiration?).

Arica said...

Glad you liked it Dvora. Good to see that lemon juice and parsley worked well despite my move of soapy cilantro :) Stay tuned for more quin-spirations!