Inscrutable Quinoa Pilaf

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Inscrutable Quinoa Pilaf Serves 3 to 4

Source: Lorna Sass/Pressure Cooker Cookbook

 

" Quinoa cooks up surprisingly well with Oriental seasonings. Familiar flavors

make this lesser-known grain more accessible to the uninitiated. "

 

Pressure Cooker: 2 minutes going up toward high pressure, 10-minute natural

pressure release.

 

Standard Stovetop: 15 minutes plus 5 minutes standing.

 

2-1/2 cups water

1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed

1 tablespoon toasted (Oriental) sesame oil

1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

6 scallions, thinly sliced (keep white and green parts separate)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 to 3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1-1/2 quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Szechuan peppercorns or black pepper

Additional toasted sesame oil, if desired

 

1. Bring the water to the boil in the cooker. Blanch the snow peas for 1

minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh under cold water. Cut into

thin slivers and set aside. Pour two cups of the cooking water into a Pyrex

measuring cup and discard the rest. Wipe the cooker dry.

 

2. Heat the oil in the cooker and saute the garlic, onion, and scallion whites

for 2 minutes. Add the ginger, 2 cups of reserved water (watch for sputtering

oil), and 1 tablespoon of tamari. Scrape up any bits of onion that are sticking

to the bottom of the cooker. Return to the boil and stir in quinoa.

 

3. Lock the lid in place, and immediately set the timer for 2 minutes. Over

high heat, bring toward high pressure for 2 minutes.

 

4. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes (whether or not high pressure has been

reached); then let the pressure drop naturally for 10 minutes. Remove the lid,

tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. If the quinoa is

not quite cooked, replace the lid and allow it to steam in the residual heat for

a few more minutes. (Don't leave the lid on for too long or the quinoa will

turn to mush.)

 

5. Fluff up the quinoa, stirring in the reserved snow peas, scallion greens,

sesame seeds, and pepper. Add more tamari and toasted sesame oil to taste.

Serve hot or a room temperature.

 

Standard Stovetop: In a two quart saucepan, follow steps 1 and 2, increasing

water for blanching snow peas to 3-1/4 cups and the reserved cooking water to

2-3/4 cups. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for

15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Follow

step 5.