For written instructions, see the original post: Thai-Style Coconut Quinoa
Start with quinoa, a delicious and nutritious whole grain available in natural food stores. Measure out 1/2 cup. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer.
The next step, toasting, is optional; it helps to bring out quinoa’s nutty flavor. Simply place the rinsed quinoa in a dry skillet and stir until the quinoa is golden and fragrant. Set the dry-roasted quinoa aside.
Next, you’ll need some coconut milk. This is available in cans in the Asian/macrobiotic section of the natural foods store. Be sure to get full-fat coconut milk. (“Reduced fat” coconut milk is actually just regular coconut milk with water added; you can add your own water and save your money if you want to cut back on the fat!)
Place 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup coconut milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the toasted quinoa, 2 cloves of minced or pressed garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper, and a pinch of sea salt (or more to taste).
Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile, you can chop your red bell pepper. You want about 1/4 cup diced pepper.
After the quinoa has absorbed the liquid, add the bell pepper to the saucepan, along with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil has quite a strong flavor; you may like this dish with just 1 teaspoon. Cover the pan, turn off or remove from heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
