Title: Quinoa Information
Categories: Info/tips
Yield: 1 Info
Quinoa
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Native to the Andes and about the size of sesame seeds, quinoa
(pronounced KEEN-wa) has a more impressive protein profile than
that of wheat and contains numerous amino acids (lysine, cystine,
and methionine) not normally found in grains. It's also very
quick-cooking, delicious, and easy to digest.
Quinoa must be carefully swooshed in water and rinsed multiple
times until the water runs clear to remove all the bitter saponin
coating, believed to be a natural insect repellent. Packaged quinoa
tends to be cleaner than quinoa bought in bulk. Rinse the quinoa
just before cooking and drain it thoroughly. If the grain sits for
5 to 10 minutes in a moistened condition, the seeds begin to soften
and this throws off the cooking time.
Plain-cooked quinoa has a slightly grassy taste, so I prefer to
cook it in vegetable stock with a few cloves of garlic or perhaps a
generous pinch of dried herbs. I have experimented with toasting
the quinoa before cooking, but I don't think it's worth the effort:
The grain has a lovely nutty quality and slight crunch without any
extra fussing.
The trick to preparing quinoa is to be stingy on the water and the
cooking time: It can turn to mush in a flash. Be on guard! Properly
cooked, it will be light, fluffy, and transparent, with a small
white filament (the sprout) dangling visibly. At the end of cooking
time, if there's unabsorbed liquid in the pot and the quinoa is
tender, simply pass it through the strainer.
Quinoa's mild flavor makes it a very versatile grain. Substitute it
for bulgur for a sensational Tabbouleh, or dye it scarlet with some
raw beets and serve it warm or at room temperature. It's also a
natural cooked with corn, another native American. For a special
treat, mail-order Ernie New's organic black quinoa; it's gorgeous
to look at, and has a delightful nutty taste. Warning: Ernie's
black quinoa needs lots of rinsing and a minute or two more of
cooking.
Black Quinoa source:
Ernie New
White Mountain Farm, Inc.
8890 Lane 4 North
Mosca, CO 81146
719-378-2436
Recipe FROM: Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen by Lorna J. Sass
ISBN: 0-688-1051-1
