The spices in this dish were amazing. The combination of turmeric, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon were a hit! I also really loved the artichokes. This took plain old quinoa to another level. Chef Simone suggested adding this with grilled or sauteed chicken breast, but I think this is so good you could eat it as a meal by itself.
Spiced Quinoa Pilaf [Sassool Cafe]
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 3 stalks Celery
- 2 Large Carrots
- 1 cup Dry Quinoa
- 1 bag Frozen Artichoke Bottoms
- 4 cups Hot Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom
- 1 teaspoon Ginger
- 4 ounces Halloumi Cheese
- Parsley for Garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pot and then add minced garlic; let sit until it becomes fragrant.

- Heat olive oil in pan and add diced onion, let sit until it become translucent and then add in the garlic. Stir and then let sit for about 2 minutes.

- Add in the dry quinoa, along with the cubed artichokes, stir once and let cook for 4 more minutes.

- Add all spices, followed by the hot water. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed the water. Garnish with parsley before serving.

- After quinoa is ready, mix in ½” cubes of sautéed halloumi cheese and mix well before serving. [Optional]







