Try this Thai Fried Quinoa recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- juice of half a lime
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 1 cup lite coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon microplaned or minced ginger
- 1-8 oz can pineapple tidbits drained
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (dish will not be
- chopped peanuts (optional)
- Carbohydrate 12.8232938055409 g
- Cholesterol 232.45 mg
- Fat 65.8333296361621 g
- Fiber 2.94721818235166 g
- Protein 65.8189909844825 g
- Saturated Fat 25.2273618870077 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (486g)
- Sodium 326.57283773368 mg
- Sugar 9.87607562318929 g
- Trans Fat 5.0632451175168 g
- Calories 906 calories
Step-by-step
- Place rinsed quinoa in a saucepan over high heat. Add coconut milk and chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, place a lid on top, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick spray. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly as to not burn the garlic.
- Add peas, pineapple tidbits, and cilantro and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Push the ingredients to the sides of the wok to create a clear space in the center. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl, then pour into the wok. Stir with a spatula until the eggs are scrambled, then stir to combine with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add cooked quinoa, soy sauce and lime juice to the wok, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the quinoa begins to crisp up. Serve with optional chopped peanuts on top.
Can you substitute canned coconut milk with carton coconut beverage without ruining the texture? Halfway through building a skillet dish, this exact question stops home cooks in their tracks. Quinoa relies on exact hydration ratios. Swapping full-fat canned coconut milk for watery carton beverages alters the starch-to-liquid balance, leaving the grain crunchy or overly soggy before it ever hits the wok.
Managing Liquids and Starches
Simmering the grain in a 1:1 blend of lite coconut milk and chicken broth requires careful heat regulation. Reduce the burner to medium-low immediately once the lid goes on. High heat will evaporate the liquid before the pseudocereal's germ has time to soften and uncurl. When incorporating eggs into a crowded wok, clearing a path down to the bare metal surface of the pan allows the proteins to set properly without sticking. Whisk the eggs thoroughly in a separate bowl beforehand to ensure uniform curd size once scrambled into the aromatic base of green onions, ginger, and garlic.
- If the wok lacks non-stick coating, increase the oil quantity by one teaspoon to prevent the quinoa from gluing to the bottom.
- Drain the pineapple tidbits thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve; excess moisture prevents the final dish from achieving a proper sear.
- Stir continuously during the final two-minute crisping phase to distribute the soy sauce evenly without burning the garlic.
