If you’re a fan of yellow rice and bold flavors, I think you’ll like this. It’s a simple dish with only a handful of ingredients and it takes under 30 minutes to make, but it’s still packed with bold spices and flavors. This dish was inspired by the traditional Cuban dish Arroz con Pollo. As Miami natives, we grew up with this as a staple in our diet. This version, however, is slightly different—it’s healthier, it’s vegan, and it’s got its own twist.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 avocado
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 mango
- 1 small handful of cilantro
Directions:
- Turn your grill on to high or preheat your oven to broil. Place the whole poblano pepper and jalapeño onto the grill, or place in oven, and char skin on all sides.
- While peppers are roasting, heat teaspoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Add in turmeric and cumin and toss around in oil until fragrant—this won’t take much time. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa and reduce heat to bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once the peppers are roasted and charred, allow to cool slightly to be able to handle them. While waiting for them to cool, peel a mango and remove flesh from the pit. Place in a blender. Remove cilantro leaves from stem and place in a blender. Once peppers are cool, peel off skin and remove stems and seeds. Place peppers in the blender. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into the blender. Blend until pureed.
- Once the quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork. Season with a couple dashes of salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon a serving of quinoa into a bowl. Place half a sliced avocado over the top. Drizzle with salsa. Enjoy!
