Quinoa Chaufa

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A healthy adaptation of an Andean classic, Quinoa Chaufa (Peruvian stir-fried quinoa) is a flexible and flavorful one-pot meal similar to Asian fried rice. Customize it with chicken, pork, seafood or tofu to suit your dietary preferences!

Jump to:

• 👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks (About Chaufa)
• 🍚 How to Cook the Best Quinoa
• 📋 Ingredients You'll Need
• 💭 Tips and FAQ
• 🌡️ Useful Stuff
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.

~~ Anthony bourdain

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks (About Chaufa)

The cultural diversity in Peru is astounding, and one of my favorite aspects of this glorious country! Peruvian cuisine has been influenced by a variety of cultures brought by the arrival of immigrants from China, Japan, Spain, Africa, and Italy. One of the most influential immigrant communities is the Chinese, and the fusion of Chinese ingredients with Peruvian ingredients and flavors is exciting!

Chaufa is a chifa-style dish, a culinary tradition that combines Peruvian and Chinese influences. Quinoa Chaufa may remind you of an Asian stir-fry, and the method (and flavors) are the same.

Chaufa is a stir-fry, and most commonly, you will find rice (arroz) and quinoa. Quinoa is a uniquely Peruvian ingredient (in my mind). I've seen it grown in the small plot behind the houses in the village of Pisac. Check out the colorful stalk of quinoa in my husband's hand below:

Chaufa does not require any fancy or obscure ingredients! If you've made fried rice, you should be good to go... soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger.

Since we're doing a quinoa chaufa, start with cooked quinoa. If you're good at planning ahead, make a double batch so that you can make this delicious, quick, gluten free chaufa!

🍚 How to Cook the Best Quinoa

Rinse the Quinoa!

Quinoa has a natural coating, called saponin, that can make the cooked grain taste bitter or soapy. This coating is easy to get rid of by rinsing the quinoa just before cooking. Boxed quinoa may be  pre-rinsed, but it doesn’t hurt to give the seeds an additional rinse at home.

Quinoa comes in many colors. I've spent extended time in Peru (summer 2017 and 2018 for a month each), and try to bring home local quinoa. Marketing guidelines have places some restrictions on varieties (and colors), but I've yet to come across one that requires much cooking time. 10 minutes is average.

When you make fried rice, you typically start with day-old rice, right? The same principle applies with chaufa. The moisture content should be fairly low. If you cook the quinoa the day of, try to make it early in the day. Fluff the quinoa, and set it aside.

📋 Ingredients You'll Need

• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa (see notes)
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil (divided use)
• 3 teaspoons sesame oil (divided use)
• 2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 ounces chicken breast, cubed (see post)
• 1 small red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips
• 1 cup English peas (can be frozen)
• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• chopped scallions and/or cilantro to garnish

• Cook the eggs (1 and 2) - Heat the wok to very hot (just short of red hot). Add a bit of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of sesame oil. Pour in the whisked eggs, and reduce the heat. Flip when the egg starts to set on top. Give it another minute or two, then remove from the wok, and set aside. Chop coarsely. Wipe the wok of any egg residue.
• Stir-fry the aromatics - Add a bit of oil and sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin. Stir continuously 30-60 seconds being careful to not burn the garlic.
• Stir-fry the veggies and protein of choice (3) - Add the vegetables and protein. This is a basic stir-fry drill. Don't crowd the wok. Stir-fry the veggies and chicken (shrimp or tofu) until it looks cooked. Remove and set aside. Wipe out the wok or pan if necessary.
• Finish the chaufa (4) - Add the remaining vegetable oil and sesame oil. When it is hot, add the quinoa. Meanwhile, whisk the soy sauce and remaining sesame oil together. When the quinoa has been cooking 3-4 minutes, add the vegetables and chicken back into the wok. Add the coarsely-chopped eggs. Give it all a good stir. Now, pour in the soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry to combine another 1-2 minutes. It's done!
• Garnish! I usually chop scallions and cilantro to garnish my chaufa. Both are optional. Sesame seeds are another nice option.

💭 Tips and FAQ

Mis en place (preparation) is important! Chaufa comes together super quickly! You will want to have the cooked quinoa measured out and set aside. Sauce ingredients can be whisked together. All of your vegetables should be prepped, and if you like garnishes as much as we do, get those ready too

Can I use rice? This is a Quinoa Chaufa, but you can substitute rice. It should be cooked, cooled, and dry. PLEASE RINSE YOUR QUINOA THOROUGHLY PRIOR TO COOKING.

What proteins can I use? As I mention in the post, on photo day, we did chicken breast. Shrimp is my favorite, and tofu cubes are a great #meatlessMonday option! Because quinoa is a complete protein, it makes a great vegetarian dish, but I would still add some diced tofu.

How many will this chaufa serve? This is a very generous serving for 2 people. We usually get a lunch out of it the next day as well! Leftovers are fine for a couple of days, though I'd eat the shrimp when it's fresh (I don't like leftover seafood).

How many eggs should I use? I start with 1 whisked egg per person. Don't hesitate to vary that amount! I'm pretty anal about 4-6 ounces of protein, and since the quinoa and the egg both have protein, I go with 4 ounces chicken, shrimp, etc.

🌡️ Useful Stuff

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This is a "go to" recipe at Andersen casa. It's quick, flexible, healthy, and super tasty. What are you waiting for?

📖 Recipe