Cooking Quinoa In A Few Easy Steps
Quinoa - An Introduction
Cooking quinoa is something that can cause confusion because it is still a relatively unknown food for most. Ironically this "new super-grain" is one of the most ancient of foods, cultivated in the Andes for millenia and known to the Incas as "Mother Seed". Moreover, it isn't even technically a grain. Quinoa is a member of the Chenopodium family, meaning that it is closely related to many of our well known leafy vegetables like spinach and chard. There are many varieties but the most common is a cream-coloured grain. The cooking method is the same regardless of variety.
Quinoa Nutrition
One of the main reasons quinoa has grown in popularity over the last few years is because of its excellent nutritional content. It has a very high protein content when compared with other grains. It is actually classed as a complete protein, containing some of all of the essential amino acids.
In addition, quinoa is a very good source of iron, magnesium and calcium.
Quinoa is completely gluten free.
Preparing Quinoa - Do You Need To Soak?
The question of soaking quinoa is probably one the points that has caused some confusion about its preparation. Traditionally it was necessary to rinse quinoa very well and soak it for a couple of hours before cooking. This is because quinoa seeds are naturally coated with a substance called saponin which gives the grain a bitter flavour.
These days, commercially sold quinoa has almost always been pre-washed, making soaking unnecessary. However, I would advice you to check with your retailer that the quinoa you are buying has been pre-washed as I imagine this may not be the case in every country. Before cooking quinoa, I always give it a good rinse in any case.
How To Cook Quinoa
- You need to cook quinoa in twice its volume of water. I usually use a cup measure for this. I cup of quinoa (about 150g or 5½ oz) cooked in two cups of water is enough for 2-3 people.
- Place the quinoa and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5-10 minutes. This will ensure that the quinoa is light and fluffy.
Now that you've mastered cooking quinoa, there's no excuse for not experimenting with it. It's an excellent alternative to rice in a pilaf or risotto and makes a delicious salad.
