Spicy Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl

This is my favourite go-to recipe when I'm either busy with work or lazy to cook anything. It's a staple here in my house we can't have enough of this delicious dish, even Baby R asks for the second serve. The crunchiness of chickpeas adds a new dimension to this recipe.

Ingredients

Quinoa

Quinoa - 1 cup

Whole spices (Bay Leaf, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick)

Water - 2 cups

Spicy Chickpeas

Chickpeas - 1 cup

Garlic - 2-3 cloves

Red chilli flakes - As per taste

Lemon - 1/2

Apple cider vinegar- 2 tbsp

Salt and pepper - To taste

Method

Wash and soak quinoa for at least 20 mins. Add one part uncooked quinoa to two parts boiling salted water in a saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low for 10-15 mins until the grains open up and the liquid had evaporated. Temper whole spices and mix it the quinoa. Leave it to cool.

If using a pressure cooker, add oil to the cooker, temper whole spices add two cups of water and salt to taste. Add quinoa to the cooker cover the lid and cook for 2 whistles at low flame. Once the pressure had subsidized give light stir and set aside to cool.

Pressure cook chickpeas with salt and water for about 4 whistles on low heat and set aside.

Set a skillet on medium heat add oil and garlic. Flavour the oil for about 2 mins, then increase the heat.

Add cooked chickpeas. While they sear, add red chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Shake the skillet to coat the chickpeas then add apple cider vinegar and juice of a half lemon. The chickpeas are finished when they have light sear on the outside.

Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet and fold together. Check seasonings and serve hot.

Variant: You can add spinach or any other green leafy vegetables.