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You mat not be familiar with Quinoa but it has been enjoyed by the peoples of South America for thousands of years. South America is still the main source for growing quinoa although farmers in other countries with a suitable climate are also growing it. I live in the UK and have seen quinoa in quite a few places including supermarkets in the health food section and in dedicated health food shops.

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What is quinoa?

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To find quinoa you will need to go to the grain section of the shop or catalogue. It comes from the same plant family as spinach and you can eat the leaves in the same way. The leaves can be cooke or eaten raw. You cannot buy these quinoa leaves in the shops as it doesn’t keep well. The original seed type is the most important type of quinoa because it holds all the nutritional benefits with it.

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What is Quinoa Like?

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The Quinoa seeds are little oval seeds 2 – 3 mm in size. The standard quinoa seed is a pale cream colour .You can occasionally get hold of red and black quinoa seeds aswell. When I buy it I get it in 500g or 1 kg dry packs. Instead of using cous cous in a salad recipe you can use quinoa instead. Having said this it does have its own flavour and characteristics that make it quite versatile in the kitchen.

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How do you cook Quinoa?

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The most basic method of cooking quinoa is to boil it in water and simmer for 10 -12 minutes. You need 1 measure of quinoa to 2 measures of water. You will find that the water goes into the quinoa and it should need draining. Sometimes the slightly bitter saponin coating has not been removed. You will need to get rid of this coating by running the quinoa under a tap for a minute or two. You are unlikely to buy coated quinoa as most shops sell it pre-rinsed but its best to be sure.

You can replace your favourite rice dishes with the finished quinoa. There is no almost no limit to what you can do with it. You will find that it blends well with most foods as it absorbs the flavour of the accompanying ingredients.

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When the quinoa is cooked you get a little “tail” that is the germ of the seed. It has a crunchy feel to the mouth. Some people describe this as being nutty. I’m not sure I agree but quinoa does taste good.

You can microwave quinoa and put it in casseroles as a thickening agent. To expand the usefulness of this superfood companies are now producing quinoa flour and flakes. You cannot use exactly in the same way as normal flour but it is useful in the kitchen.

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What is special about Quinoa?

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Quinoa is almost unparalled in the world of seeds and grains. Firstly it is gluten free so for people who need to avoid gluten it is a great addition to their diet. It also has all the essential proteins so is good for supply vegetarians with minerals and vitamins you can’t get easily from other foods. Finally it releases its carbohydrates into the body very slowly so helps people with diabetes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other dietary related diseases.

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