Servings 2
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil
- 1/2 cup brown lentils
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cardamon pods
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 thump size of ginger grated
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes or more for spicy kick
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 veggie stock cube
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Pre soak the lentils overnight or for at least 5 hours to speed up the cooking process. Wash and rinse the soaked lentils before using.
- In a pan, heat the oil at medium heat then add the spices, ginger, garlic and onions. Frying the spices and pepper helps to release their aroma
- Add 1/4 cup of water to further cook the onions to let them soften and also to make sure the pan is not drying out.
- When the onions are soft, add 1 cup of water and lentils and let the lentils cook for 15 minutes. Make sure to fully cover the pan and cook at medium temperature
- After 15 minutes, add the quinoa and 1 and 1/2 cup of water, then taste the sauce to make sure there is enough salt.
- Cover the pan well and cook the quinoa for 18-20 minutes at low-medium heat.
- After, turn off the heat and let the quinoa stand for 5 minutes, still covered, to cool down. This allows the quinoa to be extra fluffy.
- The pilau is ready. When you finally remove the cover, you will smell a rich and earthy fragrance that will have your taste buds tingling to taste the pilau
- Use a spoon to fluff up the quinoa
- Serve with some greens or a salad
- This stores really well in the fridge for up to a week