Mexican Instant Pot Quinoa With Cilantro Sauce by
Source: https://instantpoteats.com/mexican-instant-pot-quinoa-with-cilantro-dressing/
Ingredients
1 cup raw quinoa (any color)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small sweet red pepper, diced
1 celery stick, diced
1/2 long red chili, finely diced (seeds out)
1 + 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 teaspoon chipotle chili
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander seed powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup frozen garden peas
1/2 cup tinned tomatoes(crushed tinned tomatoes, NOT tomato paste!)
1 cup water
FOR CILANTRO SAUCE
1/4 cup roughly diced cilantro leaves and stalks
1/2 clove garlic, roughly diced
2 tablespoon mayonnaise (more!)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 small jalapeño slices
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Soak the quinoa in 2-3 cups of lightly salted cold water for 10-15 minutes (an hour is even better). Then rinse through a sieve.
Press the Sauté key on the Instant Pot (it should say Normal, 30 mins). Add olive oil, onions, peppers, celery and half of the salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
After 5 minutes, add the garlic, spices and the rest of the salt. Stir through for 10 seconds and then add the quinoa, frozen corn and peas, tinned tomatoes and water. Stir through and press Keep Warm/Cancel key on the Instant Pot.
Place and lock the lid, making sure the steam releasing handle is pointing to Sealing. Press Manual, High pressure and set to 1 minute. After 3 beeps the pressure cooker will start going.
Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release for 5-7 minutes and then, if needed, use the quick release method before opening the lid.
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process into a smooth sauce (it’s okay if some of the cilantro is not completely ground up). If no food processor available, use a knife to finely chop the cilantro and jalapeño, grate the garlic, then combine with the other ingredients in a bowl.
Serve the quinoa in bowls with a few teaspoons of cilantro sauce drizzled over the top. Garnish with extra lime and some chopped scallions.
Press the Sauté key on the Instant Pot (it should say Normal, 30 mins). Add olive oil, onions, peppers, celery and half of the salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
After 5 minutes, add the garlic, spices and the rest of the salt. Stir through for 10 seconds and then add the quinoa, frozen corn and peas, tinned tomatoes and water. Stir through and press Keep Warm/Cancel key on the Instant Pot.
Place and lock the lid, making sure the steam releasing handle is pointing to Sealing. Press Manual, High pressure and set to 1 minute. After 3 beeps the pressure cooker will start going.
Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release for 5-7 minutes and then, if needed, use the quick release method before opening the lid.
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process into a smooth sauce (it’s okay if some of the cilantro is not completely ground up). If no food processor available, use a knife to finely chop the cilantro and jalapeño, grate the garlic, then combine with the other ingredients in a bowl.
Serve the quinoa in bowls with a few teaspoons of cilantro sauce drizzled over the top. Garnish with extra lime and some chopped scallions.