A quick & satisfying meal for a lazy summer dinner, also makes a great side for you BBQ.
Author: Nora |ingeniouscooking.com
Recipe type: dinner, side
Cuisine: gluten-free, vegan
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
250g or 1½ cup of quinoa
1 large or 2 medium eggplants/aubergines (approx. 5-600g)
2 sundried tomatoes
1 large red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1-2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of cajun spices (can be changed for e.g. some curry mix)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for frying
salt to taste
Instructions
Rinse quinoa carefully: usually I soak it for 30 minutes if I have the time, to wash off the saponin layer of the tiny seeds. You're done when the rinsing water doesn't get frothy anymore. Cook quinoa in 2.25 cups of water with some salt until soft, not overcooked.
Dice aubergines and soak in salty water for 10 minutes, rinse. Now is the time to prepare the other veggies: dice bell pepper, dried tomatoes, chop parsley and red onion.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and start with the bell pepper. Once its edges start turning dark, put in aubergine cubes. I added them in two portions so that the veggies fry instead of cooking in their own moisture. You can also use a wok to do this.
And lastly, add cajun spices and dried tomatoes. Mix well and give some time for the flavors to come together.
In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa with fried vegetables, season with finely chopped red onion, parsley and lime juice. Tastecheck for some salt and enjoy!