Quinoa is fairly uncommon in many cuisines, but for those interested in obtaining this amino acid-rich seed, it can be a good ingredient for many dishes. The seed, when cooked, results in dishes that are creamy, fluffy, a bit nutty, and also slightly crisp. If you can’t buy quinoa at your local market, then it’s good news to say that it’s quite easy to buy it at local health stores year-round.
While most people think of quinoa as a grain, it’s actually a relative of some leafy greens like Swiss chard and spinach. Surprisingly, this “grain” is not only very nutritious and tasty when cooked, but was also considered the “gold of the Incas”.
When preparing meals with quinoa, your main goal should be to bring out its flavor so that your dish has a unique flavor and texture. Follow these steps so you can easily prepare a quinoa dish:
The first step would be to wash the quinoa in clean, cold water. Many would argue that quinoa products are usually washed before they are packaged, so there is no need to wash them. However, it is important to wash them again. This is because it helps as it removes the saponin layer which really messes with the taste as it acts as a laxative. This cover is there to prevent birds from eating the seeds.
Then you need to soak the quinoa for a short time. You should not let the seed stay that long as it will cause the seed to germinate. The germination of the seeds produces enzymes that modify the flavor. Different hours of soaking should be tried in order to establish the best flavor.
These are the guidelines to follow when cooking quinoa. Cooking it to perfection is being able to adapt your tastes to the kitchen. With experience cooking quinoa, you will be taught the dos and don’ts of cooking. First, you need to use twice as much water compared to the amount of quinoa you’ll be cooking. The cooking process for quinoa is more like the cooking process for rice. Make sure the water is boiling first before adding the quinoa to the pot. Then you should let it boil in the water for about 20 minutes. Once it has been on the fire for twenty minutes, it can be tested to see if the food is ready. This should be the base of what you will be working on every time you cook the food. This is just the basic way to cook quinoa. Once you gain experience, you can try different things with quinoa to make it more palatable. Try mixing it with various dishes to see if the results are just as tasty and interesting.
When cooking quinoa for dishes, you can use it like rice or to replace any starchy food. You can also add quinoa to other dishes for a creamy, nutty flavor.
