QUINOA FRIED "RICE"
This recipe is a paid partnership with TruRoots Organic.
Sprouted quinoa is a fantastic alternative to rice. It contains all nine amino acids and has more nutrients available than regular whole grains. Quinoa’s nuttiness ups the flavor level of my fried “rice”, and it tastes especially good with sesame oil. As usual, I used up everything in my frig to make this dish. According to my mom, the only ingredients you really need to make good fried rice are onion, egg & leftover cooked rice so add-in whatever else you have on hand!
NOTE: Besides the time waiting for the quinoa to cook & cool, this recipe is quick so it’s best to have all the ingredients prepped in advance.
Makes 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups water, chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup dried sprouted quinoa (cooking instructions below)
6 oz grilled pork belly, diced (or other cooked meat, fried tofu or omit altogether)
1 cup diced onion
½ yellow bell pepper, diced
2 red long peppers, sliced thinly
2 eggs, beaten
Sesame oil (not roasted)
Soy sauce, to taste
1 scallion, chopped
Toasted sesame seeds, crushed
Vegetable or canola oil
Boil water or broth (whichever you are using). Dry toast quinoa in a medium pot over high heat, stirring frequently until it starts popping consistently. Add boiled liquid to toasted quinoa, lower heat to simmer and cover for ~15 minutes. Remove cover. If water isn’t fully absorbed, turn heat to high and fluff quinoa until all liquid is gone.
Spread quinoa onto a baking sheet and place in the frig for an hour or in a cool place overnight to dry out.
Heat a wok pan or large frying pan over high heat. Add ½ Tbsp vegetable oil and wait until it gets smoking hot. Add diced pork belly (or other meat) until fat begins to render, stirring occasionally. Remove meat from pan, leaving rendered fat.
While pan is still hot, add diced onion & peppers. Cook until slightly softened then make a well in the center of the pan. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, then add half the quinoa. Stir quinoa into oil so it coats the grains. Then add 1 Tbsp more of sesame oil and remainder of quinoa and stir remainder of quinoa with oil until all of the grains are fully coated. Mix quinoa into the veggies. Then add pork and combine into quinoa/veggie mixture.
Make a well in center of pan and add ½ Tbsp vegetable oil. Once it’s hot, add beaten eggs and scramble in the well. Mix scrambled eggs into quinoa/pork/veggies.
Divide fried quinoa into bowls. For garnish, I like chopped scallions and a drizzle of our Original CY Eats MaLa Chili Oil! Enjoy!