Gluten-Free Quinoa Egg Fried Rice
Egg Fried Rice is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese street foods. This recipe brings you a Gluten-Free version with all the goodness of Egg Fried Rice, WITHOUT the Rice. The use of quinoa brings the same delicate texture of Egg Fried Rice with lower calories and carbs. The use of veggies is a great option to augment your meal with the goodness of seasonal vegetables like bell peppers, green peas and beans.
Which is healthier quinoa or rice?
White Rice contains 15 times more carbs than Quinoa for the same amount! Quinoa is fiber and protein rich. This helps keep you full longer. Quinoa is also good for heart health and help regulate blood sugar levels. When compared with brown rice too, quinoa fares better due to its amino acid and protein contents. 1 cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of protein whereas brown rice has only 5 grams.
How to cook Fluffy Quinoa?
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly with cold water before cooking as it helps wash off the bitter taste caused by a compound called saponin. Soaking quinoa for about 10-15 minutes before cooking and then rinsing off also helps get rid of saponin and phytic acid. I rinse quinoa 3-4 times in cold water or until the water turns from cloudy to clear.
- For 1 cup of quinoa, bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add in the rinsed quinoa.
- Cook for 10 minutes and reduce the heat.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, then, turn off heat.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
How to make restaurant style Egg Fried Rice?
Here are a few tips to making restaurant style Quinoa “Egg Fried Rice”:
- Cook on High heat.
- Use cold/ left over Quinoa.
- Use Sesame oil.
- Don’t over-cook the veggies.
- Use light gluten-free soy sauce.
- Saute the white portion of the spring onion with the garlic.
Gluten-Free Quinoa Egg Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 Wok
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil
- 3 Large Eggs Cage Free, Organic
Vegetables
- 1 Medium Red Onion
- 1 Long Chilli Pepper
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves
- 2-3 Green chillies Thai
- 1 Stem Spring Onion
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas
Spices
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Tomato Ketchup
- ½ tsp Red chilli flakes
- 3/4 tsp Salt Adjust according to taste
Instructions
Cooking the Quinoa
- Rinse 1 cup quinoa with cold water 2-3 times. Bring 2 cups of water to boil, add ½ tsp salt and the rinsed quinoa.
- Cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.
- To speed up the cooling, put quinoa in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, as you prep the veggies.
Veggie Prep
- Finely chop the green chillies, garlic. Cut the onion into thin slices. You may also choose to finely chop the onions.
- Cut Long Chilli Pepper into small pieces.
- Wash the frozen peas in warm water and drain the water.
The Frying Process
- In a Wok/ pan on Medium heat, add 2 tbsp of sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add in the chopped green chillies, garlic and sliced onions and add a pinch of salt. Saute for about 1-2 minutes or until the onions are soft
- Move the veggies to the side and add in the eggs. Saute the eggs for about 2-3 minutes or until the eggs are cooked.
- Add in the soy sauce, tomato ketchup, Long Chilli Pepper and the frozen peas. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the quinoa and mix well gently tossing the contents in the wok/ pan. Add in the salt.
- Turn off the heat, garnish with chopped spring onions and enjoy!