Best Quinoa Pongal Recipe | South Indian Khichdi for Weight Loss
Quinoa Pongal is an easy, nutritious, delicious comfort food prepared using quinoa & moong/yellow lentils in less than 25 minutes (under 500 calories).
Servings: 4
Calories: 242kcal
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker or Instant pot
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Split moong dal or Yellow lentil
- ⅔ cup Quinoa
- 1 inch Ginger , finely chopped
- 2 to 3 Green chilies , finely chopped
- 8 Black peppercorns , freshly powdered or crushed (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida or Hing
- 1 tablespoon Cashews , chopped
- ½ tablespoon Peanuts (optional)
- 5 to 6 Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon Coconut oil (Traditionally, ghee is used)
- Salt , to taste
- 3 ½ cups Water (adjust to consistency later with more water if required)
Instructions
Pressure cook quinoa and moong dal
- Wash quinoa and moong dal in water until water runs clear and drain them⅔ cup Split moong dal or Yellow lentil, ⅔ cup Quinoa
- Add quinoa, moong dal, green chilies, ginger, water, and salt in a pressure cooker.1 inch Ginger, 2 to 3 Green chilies, Salt, 3 ½ cups Water
- Close the lid and pressure cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or two whistles (one on high flame and the second whistle on medium flame). See that the water is at least half an inch above the dal while cooking. Else it will burn at the bottom.
- Switch off the flame, and allow the pressure cooker to cool down completely (approx. 10 minutes).
Make the tempering
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add curry leaves, peanuts, and cashew nuts and saute till the nuts become golden brown. Add hing and switch off the flame.1 tablespoon Cashews, ½ tablespoon Peanuts, 5 to 6 Curry leaves, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon Coconut oil, ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- Open the lid of your pressure cooker. Add the fresh powder peppercorns to the cooked quinoa dal mixture, adjust the salt and water for desired consistency if required, and bring it to boil again.8 Black peppercorns
- Add the tempering and mix well.
- Serve hot, and enjoy.
Instant Pot Quinoa Pongal
- Wash quinoa and moong dal in water until water runs clear and drain them
- Turn on the SAUTE mode of your instant pot. Add coconut oil, cumin seeds, cashews, peanuts, and curry leaves, and saute until cumin seeds splutter and nuts become golden.
- Add green chilies, ginger, black pepper, and asafoetida, and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the quinoa, lentil, water, and salt to taste and mix well. Close the lid of your instant pot with vent in sealing position.
- Pressure cook for 8 minutes and allow the instant pot to release any pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid, and mix everything together. If you feel the pongal is too thick or has not reached the desired consistency, then add water and cook in saute mode for 1 to 2 minutes.
Notes
- Traditionally pongal is prepared using rice and moong dal. This recipe is without rice. You can use rice if needed as a substitute for quinoa or also add rice along with quinoa and lentil. Make sure you adjust the water accordingly.
- I have used split yellow lentils with skin or chilkewali moong dal in the recipe below. You can use yellow lentils.
- This dish thickens as it cools down. So add water and heat it even before you serve.
- Vary the number of green chilies as per your taste. You can substitute it with serrano pepper or jalapeno. The taste may vary accordingly.
- Vary the amount of nuts and other spices as per your taste.
- You can also use butter or vegetable oil for tempering.
- This dish can also be prepared in a regular pan on a stove top instead of a pressure cooker, but it is time-consuming.
Nutrition
Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 4mg