Quinoa - Information & Recipes

Quinoa was one of the most sacred foods to the ancient Incas; it was so nourishing, delicious and vital that they called it the Mother Grain. So sacred was it considered that each year the Inca ruler would plant the first row of quinoa using a spade of solid gold.

It is not recognised as a true grain, being related to the vegetable family that includes swiss chard and spinach.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a broad-leafed annual herb that grows wild and has been cultivated for thousands of years in the Andes.
The plants grow from three to six feet high, and like millet its seed are in large clusters at the end of the stalk. The plant thrives in poor soil conditions and dry climates.

Quinoa’s spinach-like leaves and its seeds are highly nutritious. The seeds are rich in protein, high in fibre and particularly rich in Iysine, an amino acid not overly abundant in the vegetable kingdom. It contains a good balance of other amino acids too, to make up the protein - up to 20% in some varieties. Quinoa seeds are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and Vitamins B and E.

Cooked quinoa is extremely versatile because it may be used in the place of almost any other grain, including rice. It is a good complement for legumes, which are often low in Methionine and Cystine.
Quinoa was little known outside South America until the 1980s, when it was introduced to North America by Dave Cusack, of Colorado. Both white quinoa and a hybrid of wild and cultivated varieties sold as ‘black’ quinoa are now grown organically on the higher elevations of the San Luis Valley.

Quinoa is light, tasty, simple to prepare, digests easily and it contains NO GLUTEN.

BASIC COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve, with cold water. Place the quinoa in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). You will know when it is done when all the grains have turned white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. This makes three cups.
To give the cooked quinoa a fuller, more nutty flavour, dry-roast it in the saucepan until it turns light brown, before adding the water.

QUINOA CON QUESO

1 cup quinoa 1 cup light cream
500 gms potatoes 2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
225 gms tomato sauce
1 to 2 peeled and seeded mild green chilies or
100 gms canned mild chilies (or 2 dried chilies)
2 tbsp minced fresh coriander or Italian parsley
2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and ground pepper to taste.
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of cold water, following basic recipe. When done, stir in the cream and set aside. Meanwhile in a separate saucepan boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender. Cut into 2cm chunks.
Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute until golden, for 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chilies and coriander. Add the quinoa mixture and diced potatoes to the frying pan and fold together gently. Season to taste. Fold in the cheese and heat and serve directly from the frying pan.
Makes 6-8 servings.

QUINOA PILAF

1 cup quinoa 2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion 1/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp minced garlic 11/2 cups water
150 gms fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt 3 tbsp minced parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme 1/4 tsp black pepper
Rinse quinoa thoroughly until water runs clear. Set aside to dry.
In a medium frying pan heat olive oil. Add onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly browned.
Add quinoa and stir for a minute or two to coat with oil and finish drying the quinoa. Add water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 servings

CONFETTI QUINOA

1 cup raw quinoa 2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 each red and green pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp almonds toasted & chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve.
Bring 2 cups of water to boil, then add salt and quinoa and bring to the boil again.
Cover, reduce heat to low simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile saute onion and pepper in extra virgin olive oil.
Combine with grain.
Just before serving, stir in
almonds and coriander leaves.

QUINOA CASSEROLE

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil 2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp basil 450 gms tofu, mashed
1/4 cup white miso 1/4 cup tahini
3/4 cup sliced, pitted olives
Wash the quinoa and drain it through a sieve. Place it in a saucepan with water. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Meanwhile heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the celery, onion and basil, and saute until the vegetables are almost tender.
When the quinoa is done, place it in a mixing bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables and the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pack the mixture into an oil loaf or casserole dish.
Bake for 35-40 mintutes at 180°C.
Serve with a green salad or steamed broccoli.

STIR-FRY VEGETABLES & QUINOA

2 cups quinoa
2 cups water
6 cups of vegetables cut in fine strips, eg: carrot, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli, leek..
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 tsp olive oil juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground white pepper to taste
Cook the quinoa, and simultaneously:-
Heat half the oil in a wok or frying pan. When the oil is really hot add half the vegetables.
Fry, constantly stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 tsp tamari at the last minute.
Do the same with the second half of the vegetables. Bring all vegetables together to heat through. Serve immediately on a bed of cooked quinoa. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, lemon juice and white pepper.

QUINOA NORI ROLLS
SUSHI

1 cup quinoa 2 cups water
1 tbsp umeboshi vinegar
2 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp water
5 sheets toasted sushi nori
FILLING
1 small, ripe avocado 1 tbsp lemon juice
carrot sticks, finely cut, gently steamed
DIPPING SAUCE
1 tbsp tamari 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed 1 tbsp water
Cook the quinoa as basic instructions.
Let it cool down, add umeboshi vinegar, tahini and 2 tbsp water. Mix well.
Cut, peel and mash the avocado, add lemon juice and mix well.
Place one sheet of toasted nori on a sushi mat with one of the longer sides towards you.
Spread one fifth of the quinoa mixture over the nori, leaving a 5 cm strip uncovered on the two longer sides. Spread a fifth of the avocado mixture in a broad strip along the centre. Place a row of carrots along the centre of the avocado.
Using the mat, roll the nori into cylinder shape. Press gently as you roll so the the nori roll is firm.
Unroll the mat and roll the nori into a sheet of waxed paper.
Repeat the proceedure until you have five rolls.
Place them in the refrigerator to cool. The wax paper tenderises the nori and helps to hold everything together.
Prepare the dipping sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
To serve slice the nori rolls into 4 with a sharp knife.
You can vary ingredients: cucmuber, salmon, fried tofu, sushi ginger all work well.