Have you ever heard of the food quinoa? Well if not, it’s your lucky day. Quinoa is among the most complete nutrition foods there is. Quinoa is a light grain that can be easily digested. It is grown as a crop because of the edible seeds it has to offer. It is from the species of goosefoot also known as Chenopodium. It’s not grass so you can’t really call it a true cereal but rather a pseudo-cereal. Aside from that, it has the highest content of protein in any other grain. For that matter, quinoa has become a popular substitute of meats for most vegetarians and vegans.
Cooking quinoa is very much similar to cooking rice. It has that nutty flavor that is pretty similar to the texture of rice. When cooked, quinoa just looks like couscous but more tasty and nourishing. In fact, it can be eaten all by itself and it still tastes good. However, quinoa also goes perfectly well with a lot of dishes such as stews, potato dishes, salads, and even pilafs.
Quinoa
At the same time, there are so many vegan quinoa dishes that you can try. Quinoa is very healthy as it is packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals. Aside from being a complete source of protein, it also offers 25% of your daily recommended iron and magnesium. It offers 10% RDA of Vitamin E and about 20 of amino acids. It is also known as a good source of lysine. Moreover, quinoa is gluten-free. The only downside to quinoa is having complex carbohydrates. As compared to most grains, it has more fat. So, let’s take a look at how to cook quinoa in this simple recipe.
This recipe yields about four to six servings so prepare a 2-quart pot with a tight fitting lid. Here are the ingredients you will need:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 tsp salt
These are the only ingredients you’ll need for a basic recipe of quinoa. Know, it’s time to learn how to cook quinoa with these easy steps.
- Before you cook the quinoa, pre-soak it for about 15 to 30 minutes in the cooking pot where you’ll cook it. Letting it soak will help it loosen up its outer coating called saponin. If this is not removed, it can give you a bitter taste. If however you are on the rush, five minutes of soaking in hot water will do. Just remember to rinse it twice afterwards.
- Once you’re done soaking, stir your quinoa with your hands and carefully drain the water from the pot. You may use a sieve to make it easier and to avoid quinoa falling off the drain.
- After you’ve drained the rinsing water, it’s time to add more water and rinse it again twice or three times until you see the water is clear.
- When you’re done rinsing, make sure to drain it well by using a sieve.
- Now, heat the pot with the quinoa and add the 1 ½ cups water needed as well as the half a teaspoon of salt.
- Cover it with your lid and bring it to a boil.
- Once it boils, lower your heat as you simmer it for 20 minutes.
- Remove it from heat and let stand for five minutes without removing the lid.
- After five minutes, fluff it up with a fork and serve!