Ever since I was a baby, I have always been fussy about eating green peas. I only started enjoying green peas when I decided to combine it with quinoa. This green pea and peanut quinoa recipe will be every picky eater’s favourite dish!
Quick and easy, this dish is flavourful and a bowl of healthy comfort food! This quinoa recipe can be served cold as well as warm. It is more like a green pea salad if served cold. It makes for a delicious and healthy side dish or even a healthy summer dinner recipe that goes with anything.
Every time I cook with green peas it makes me think of my dad. With him its green peas over any other vegetable! This actually reminds me of Nigella Lawson. She absolutely loves green peas! In Fact most of her renowned savoury recipes are to do with peas.
The best part about peas is that they are a nutritional powerhouse despite the sweetness they have. This green pea and peanut quinoa recipe is fluffy, tasty and high in protein. Quinoa being complete protein and when peas are paired with it, it’s added protein. Quinoa also provides you with lots of minerals and healthy fats making it an easy healthy recipe.
It not only serves as a great side dish but also perfect to pack as a lunch box!
Fresh or frozen peas?
As peas are not available all year round, it’s okay to use frozen peas for this recipe. This recipe works great with fresh or frozen peas, use whatever is available. Majority of the time I have made the recipe with frozen peas and the taste is the same. So it doesn’t really make a difference. This is also an added advantage. You can make this dish as a quick fix if you want to put together something at the last minute.
This green pea and peanut quinoa recipe has an Indian touch to it. It is sautéed in olive oil, curry leaves and black mustard seeds to give it a taste of those flavours. I have adapted this recipe from the famous Indian dish, Poha (flattened rice). Poha is a Western Indian breakfast recipe but its flavours are known all over the country. It has been a tradition in my family since many years to have Poha for breakfast every Sunday morning.
This recipe is a one pot recipe.
One pot quinoa and fresh peas
Start by boiling the peas in a medium sized pot. Once the peas turn bright green and slightly soft, rinse them under cold water. Keep them aside. Next boil your quinoa in the same put in chicken or vegetable stock. You can also boil it in simple water. When the quinoa is cooked and all the liquid in the pot is absorbed, turn off the heat. Allow the quinoa to rest for 5-8 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and mix it with the peas.
Sauté the pea and quinoa mixture in olive oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cook until the quinoa is fragrant and add a handful of peanuts. Serve hot and garnish with chopped parsley if you want. This dish is sure to make you feel happy and satisfied!
Green Pea and Peanut Quinoa
Course: Sides, MainDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
minutesQuick and easy, this dish is flavourful and a bowl of healthy comfort food!
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup raw green peas
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Handful of fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
Handful of peanuts
Directions
- In a medium size pot, boil the green peas until bright green and slightly soft. Rinse them under cold water, drain and keep aside.
- In the same pot, bring to boil the vegetable stock. Add the quinoa, cover and let it cook on low heat. Keep it on low heat until all the liquid is absorbed by the quinoa and is fully cooked. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork and mix it with the green peas.
- In a medium size pan, heat the olive oil. Add the black mustard seeds and curry leaves. After a few seconds, add the quinoa and peas mixture and the peanuts and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Cook until the quinoa is fragrant.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
Make sure to try the Greek Watermelon and Cottage Cheese Salad!