Roasted Tomato Quinoa Pilau

Quinoa is very fashionable at the moment with increased availability meaning cheaper prices in the shops.  Bloggers such as DelicouslyElla have long encouraged its use but it is no longer any problem finding great recipes.

Supermarkets are still tentative in its supply and do not seem ready to stock in the same way as rice or pasta. Typically, my local Waitrose provide it as a ready meal in a mix.

I currently buy my Quiona from Costco (£11.49 for 1.81kg) or Unicorn (£7.49 for 1kg).

This is my favourite recipe for quinoa at the moment.

• 250g cherry tomatoes; roasted
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1 white onion; thinly sliced
• 3 sticks of celery; sliced
• 2 garlic cloves; finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds; ground
• 1 tsp coriander seeds; ground
• 100f basmati rice
• 140g quinoa
• 500g veg stock; or water
• 50g pine nuts; toasted

First roast the tomatoes. Slice in half, place on parchment, sprinkle with olive oil and season. Roast at 160C for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Toast the pine nuts on a dry frying pan until they turn a gentle brown colour. Set aside.

You should rinse the quinoa and rice prior to use although the Costco quinoa is pre-washed. 

In a saucepan with a lid add the quinoa and rice with the stock.  Cover and simmer over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Switch off heat and leave the lid on for a further 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid as this will stop the pilau being soft and fluffy. The combination of quinoa and basmati is fantastic. I cannot recommend it enough.

In a large plan, heat the olive oil and add onion, celery, and garlic. Soften for 5 minutes and add cumin and coriander. Cook for a further few minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients and stir through. This dish works well with steamed white fish or marinated chicken such as souvalki.

This tastes fantastic cold.