Saturday, December 6, 2008

JFI:Carrots The Roundup

Hosting this event was just what I needed to get back to blogging. Sheer laziness was keeping me from blogging. But now I'm back to enjoying that particular high one gets after clicking the Publish button.
Thanks to JFI, I also met several new bloggers.

Months ago I signed up to host JFI and promptly forgot about it. Thanks to Srivalli for her gentle reminder.
Thanks to Indira for giving me the chance to host an edition of Jihva For Ingredients.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds and possibly the best source of vitamin A. They are delicious eat raw or cooked. Fortunately the abundant beta-carotene is not destroyed when cooked. In fact slightly cooking or steaming the carrots breaks down the cell wall making the fiber more available.

Without much ado here is the roundup.











If I have inadvertently missed listing your entry, please let me know.

I now pass the baton to Ammalu's Kitchen who is hosting JFI:Sprouts.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Quinoa-Carrot Pulao

If it doesn't contain any rice is it still a pulao?
This is a riff on the classic carrot-pulao.
I go thru these phases where I make an extra effort to eat less rice.

During one such phase, when a friend mentioned how she has virtually given up rice and instead eats quinoa I was all ears.
Even before we could complete our conversation, in my mind the carrot-pulao had morphed into a quinoa-carrot!

This is an incredibly aromatic pulao and no, we didn't miss the rice one bit.
Equally delicious when hot or at room temperature. I'll be making this pulao quite often. The next time I do, I'll swap out the blurred photo.


Quinoa-Carrot Pulao
Ingredients
4 cups cooked quinoa
2 medium sized carrots, grated or chopped
4-5 black peppercorns
3 cloves (lavang)
½ inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel (bishops weed)
2 pods cardamom
1 green chilies, chopped
1 tbsp oil
salt, to taste
4-5 stalks cilantro, chopped

Method
Heat the oil. When hot, add the green chillies.
Next add all the spices and saute for about a minute.
Add the carrots and let them cook for another minute.
Add the quinoa and salt. Mix well.
Cover and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Adjust the salt and garnish with cilantro.
Enjoy this protein rich pulao on its own or with a simple raita.


My entry to JFI:Carrots.
 
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