Quinoa with Mushrooms and Scallions

Recipes for quick and tasty side grain dishes are a great thing to have on hand to complement main courses, and this quinoa with mushrooms and scallions fits the bill on both counts. Quinoa is a wonderfully versatile grain that goes with almost any vegetable or seasoning, and it takes very little time to cook.

Quinoa with Mushrooms and Scallions

1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of brown or yellow mustard seeds
2 large mushrooms, finely diced
1 inch piece of ginger, finely diced
1 scallion, cut into small rings
sea salt to taste

Wash and rinse the quinoa under warm water for a few minutes. Soak in the water overnight.

Drain the quinoa, reserving the soaking liquid. Put the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the diced mushrooms, and ginger. Stir a few times and turn down the heat slightly. Put in the scallion and stir for a minute.

Next add the quinoa and stir for a minute. Put in the stock or water and salt and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for about 15 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and serve.