Quinoa is considered a true superfood, and it is a gluten-free pseudo-cereal, so let’s immediately prepare a quinoa and red lentil flan.
Originally cultivated on the steep slopes of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia, it is finally being grown in Italy, which is great because those who believe in local sourcing like me were really tired of not eating it because it came from far away. Quinoa contains all essential amino acids and therefore has a really high protein value.
It is also gluten-free, but rich in fiber and nutrients, and is also very easy and quick to cook.
It is very important for a balanced vegetarian diet to consume both cereals and legumes during the same meal to complete the amino acid balance. Here are some more quinoa ideas, if you try them, let me know!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Quinoa and Red Lentil Flan
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup hulled red lentils
- 1.4 oz mix for sauté
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
Steps for Quinoa and Red Lentil Flan
Wash the quinoa thoroughly several times to remove the saponin, otherwise it will remain bitter. Toast it slightly in a pan for a minute, but it’s not essential.
Wash the hulled red lentils well. In a saucepan, add a drizzle of oil, chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and stew for a few minutes, stirring.
Add the quinoa, lentils, cover with water, add a pinch of salt or a bit of homemade vegetable broth, a little turmeric, and curry.
Cook for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Drain well if it remains watery, or add some breadcrumbs.
Gratin in the oven for 10 minutes with breadcrumbs.
Bimby Preparation:
Chop the vegetables in the bowl with a few pulses at level 4, add a drizzle of oil, 3 min. at 100°C speed 1
Add quinoa, lentils, and cover with water, add salt and spices and cook for 15 minutes, checking the cooking at 100°C speed 1
Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes with breadcrumbs.
Tips and Variations
If you use unhulled red lentils, they need to be soaked for at least an hour. You cannot cook them with the quinoa because they have different cooking times; it’s best to cook the quinoa separately for 15 minutes and the lentils with a piece of kombu seaweed and a bay leaf in water for 30/40 minutes, seasoning with salt at the end.
Drain everything, mix with the quinoa, and proceed to gratinate in the oven as described above, or make small patties that you will then bake in the oven for about twenty minutes.
You can store the quinoa and red lentil flan in the refrigerator for a couple of days or freeze it. You can vary the type of legumes, but they must always be hulled to ensure even cooking, or they will have to be cooked separately and then assembled to bake the flan in the oven, as described above.
