Vegetarian Cuisine

ZUCCHINI AND QUINOA RISOTTO

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

7 oz. (200 grams) quinoa
3 ½ fl oz. or 650 mls vegetable stock or hot filtered water
1 teaspoon each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric.
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 large zucchini chopped into bite sized pieces
5 ½ oz (150 gram) cauliflower or broccoli, cut in florets
2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons each of pine nuts and pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped plus some whole leaves for garnish.

Directions:

Wash quinoa in cold water then place the rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat and fry for 1-2 minutes to toast the grains.
Add the stock or hot water, stir well and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until tender and all the stock has been absorbed. Set aside.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the coriander and cumin seeds and dry fry for about 1 minute or until aromatic, stirring frequently.
Tip into a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder.
Heat the oils in the sauté pan, add the ground spices, ginger and turmeric and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the zucchini and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until just tender.
Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower florets for 3-4 minutes or until just tender.
Dry fry the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds in a sauté pan about 1 minute until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Stir in the steamed cauliflower, chopped tomatoes and lemon juice into the zucchini mix, season to taste and cook 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped cilantro or parsley and the cooked quinoa.
Mix well and serve immediately.

This recipe is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram, sourced from “The Yoga Cookbook: Food for Body and Mind – Recipes from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres” – 1999.

You need not try to become the Self or the Atman. You are already the Self. The Atman. – Sri Swami Sivananda