Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red lentil
• 1/2 cup quinoa

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt or to to taste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4-5 medium size tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 5 cups water

Vegetables

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped green beans
• 1 cup chopped broccoli

Garnish

• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Drizzle of olive oil

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash the red lentil and quinoa until the water runs clear and then soak it in separate bowls for 30 minutes
2. To a heated pan add the oil, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and fry on medium to medium-high heat until the onion starts to caramelized.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another one minutes or until fragrant.
4. Add the tomato paste and dry spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper) and mix it well and add the fresh chopped tomatoes.
5. Mix it again and add the drained soaked lentils, salt and water. Give it a good stir and cover with a lid and bring it to a boil.
6. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentil is cooked. Uncover and lightly mash the lentils using a potato masher, this will help breakdown the lentils a bit more.
7. Add the soaked quinoa, sweet potatoes and green beans. Increase the heat to medium and bring it into a simmer. Then cover and cook the quinoa for about 7 minutes (don’t over cook the quinoa since it will continue to cook in the hot pot).
8. Uncover and turn the heat to medium high and bring it to a vigorous boil. Now whisk it with the spatula for a minute, this will break down the lentils and make the dish creamy. Once the khichdi reaches to your desired consistency, add the broccoli and turn off the heat right away. Make sure not to over cook the broccoli as it will continue to cook even after the stove is turned off. If the khichdi gets too thick, you can thin it out with boiling water. DO NOT add cold water to it!

Serves: 4-5

Inspiration source: