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Quinoa Pilaf with Chick Peas, Pomegranate, and Spices

5.0(60)

Two superfoods in one dish! Pomegranate juice is considered by many nutritionists to be a superfood, with powerful antioxidant properties and cancer-fighting benefits. This quinoa pilaf is based on a Turkish pilaf that is traditionally made with rice or bulgur.

by Martha Rose Shulman

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Servings

Serves 6

Total time

15 min

Calories / serving

160 kcal

Ingredients (11)

serves

1 teaspoon cumin seedscumin
3/4 teaspoon coriander seedscoriander
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilextra-virgin-olive-oil
1/2 medium onion, choppedonion
1/2 teaspoon saltsalt
2 garlic cloves, mincedgarlic
1 cup quinoa, cooked (4 cups cooked quinoa)quinoa
1 cup cooked chick peas (canned are fine), rinsed
1/4 cup pomegranate seedspomegranate
1 cup thickened yogurtyogurt
1 small garlic clove, pureed (optional)garlic

Instructions (3 steps)

01Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Toast in the pan, stirring or shaking the pan, until they begin to smell fragrant, and transfer to a spice mill. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pulse to crush or coarsely grind. Set aside.
02Return the frying pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt, stir together for about half a minute, and stir in the cumin seeds, and coriander seeds. Add the remaining olive oil and stir in the quinoa, chick peas, and 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds. Stir over medium heat to heat through, several minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a platter or wide bowl and decorate with the remaining pomegranate seeds. You can also mold the pilaf into 1/2-cup ramekins or timbales and unmold onto the plate, then decorate with pomegranate seeds.