Quinoa Chickpea Biryani

Ingredients

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

BIRYANI MASALA

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 10–12 green cardamom pods
• 2 black cardamom pods
• 1 tsp peppercorn
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp cloves
• 4 Tbsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp nutmeg

QUINOA

• ¼ cup quinoa
• ¾ cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 2 cloves

CHICKPEA SAUCE

• 2 red onions, sliced and divided
• 1 tsp Biryani Masala
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• ¾ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp lemon juic

Instructions

BIRYANI MASALA

• 1 In a dry pan, toast the spices over medium heat for 3–5 minutes.
• 2 In a blender or grinder, process the toasted spices into a powder.

QUINOA

• 1 In a medium pot, mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil.
• 2 Cover and lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for at least 20 minutes, or until the liquid is gone.
• 3 Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

BIRYANI

• 1 In a pan, sauté one of the onions over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden brown, approximately 10–15 min. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth to caramelize the onions. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 2 In a shallow pan, heat a tablespoon of vegetable broth, add the Biryani Masala and sauté for 15 seconds, or until the spices become fragrant.
• 3 Add the other sliced onion and sauté until golden brown. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for one more minute.
• 4 Add chickpeas, tomato paste, salt, half of the caramelized onions from Step 1, and the remaining vegetable broth. Stir to combine, and cook for 5 minutes (the texture should be like a curry; if necessary, add a bit of water).
• 5 Stir in the quinoa and cook for 15 minutes.
• 6 Add lemon juice and mint. Let it cool down completely before serving.
• 7 Serve topped with cilantro and the rest of the caramelized onions.