Aromatic Ginger Grain Dish (Printable)
Vibrant quinoa dish with fresh ginger, herbs, and vegetables—perfect as a side or light vegetarian main.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup (200 g) quinoa (or brown rice, farro, or millet)
02 - 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth or water
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
07 - 1 medium carrot, diced
08 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
→ Herbs & Seasoning
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain well.
02 - In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth (or water) to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
03 - While the grains cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent.
04 - Stir in the garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add the carrot and bell pepper; cook for 4–5 minutes until slightly softened.
06 - Sprinkle in the cumin, turmeric, salt, and black pepper; cook for 30 seconds.
07 - Add the peas and cooked quinoa to the skillet. Gently toss to combine and heat through, about 2 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh cilantro (or parsley) and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning if needed.
09 - Serve warm, as a side or light main.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The quinoa soaks up all those aromatic flavors like tiny flavor sponges, creating little pockets of ginger-spiced delight in every bite.
- You can prep most components ahead of time, making this your secret weapon for those evenings when cooking feels like climbing a mountain.
02 -
- Dont skip rinsing the quinoa even if the package claims its pre-rinsed, as I once stubbornly did and ended up with a dish that had an unmistakable bitter aftertaste.
- The magic happens when you add the spices to the hot oil and vegetables, blooming their flavors in a way that simply cant be achieved by stirring them into the completed dish.
03 -
- Freeze fresh ginger root, then grate it while still frozen for easier handling and finer texture that distributes more evenly throughout the dish.
- Toast the quinoa in the dry pan for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth to bring out a nutty flavor that elevates the entire dish with minimal effort.