Quinoa-chickpea pilaf

Ingredients :

1 cup tricolor quinoa

1 can chickpeas 

1 small onion - diced

1 small bell pepper - diced

1 tomato - diced

1/2 cup frozen corn 

5-6 garlic cloves - minced

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp cilantro - finely chopped

1 tsp cayenne pepper powder

1 tsp roasted cumin powder

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Directions :

1. Cook quinoa as per the directions on the package. Usually 1 part quinoa i cooked in two parts of water.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and saute for a minute. Add in onions and bell pepper. Cook for two-three minutes on high flame. Then put the gas on medium flame. Add corn and cook for another two-three minutes.

3. Add salt, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and chickpeas. Mix until well combine. 

4. Add cooked-fluffed quinoa. and diced tomatoes. Give it a good mix. 

5. Turn off heat. Add lemon juice and cilantro. Mix. Serve hot or in room temperature. 

Tastes well as is but I love to eat this with greek yoghurt !

Zucchini Kofta Curry

Ingredients

For kofta:
2 Zucchinis - grated
1 carrot - grated
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 cup chickpea flour (gram flour)
1/2 tsp salt
Oil for frying

For Gravy :
2 Medium Tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger
2 green chilies
2 tblsp oil
Pinch asafetida
1 tsp cumin seed 
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp kitchen king masala
2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp finally chopped coriander

Directions:

For Koftas -

1. Sprinkle salt on gratated zucchini and set it aside for 30 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible from zucchini. Reserve this water aka "zucchini juice" , it can be used in the gravy later. 
2. In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients of kofta. Make soft dough.
3. You can deep fry the koftas or fry them in a appe/paniyaram pan. Heat appe pan on a high heat, when it gets hot turn the flame to medium. Make balls from the dough and put into each whole (cavity) of the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until they are golden brown in color.

For Gravy -

1. Puree tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chilies.

2. In a pan heat oil. Add cumin seeds and let them sputter. Add asafetida and pour in the puree. Cook for a few minutes till the raw smell disappears. 

3. Add the remaining spices and cook for another 5-6 minutes to combine all the flavours. 

4. Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per your choice by adding water and the reserved zucchini juice.

5. Simmer for a few minutes and add yoghurt in the end. Turn off heat.

6. Dip the kofta in the gravy right before serving. 

7. Garnish them with cilantro ! Serve hot.