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Posted on October 2, 2008 by Freeda Poux | Posted under Food & Drink
How To Cook Quinoa: The Sacred Incan Food
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This is a food based on cereal and because of its nutritional value, it was cherished as sacred by the ancient Incas, that lived in South America. The content of quinoa is mainly amino acids and one of the best things about this food is that it does not have any gluten. The people that still live in the Andes area like to eat the leaves of the quinoa, but most of the other prefer to eat its seeds. The seeds are favorite when it comes to cooking. If you live in Western countries, then you can find quinoa in supermarkets. But, if you fail to do so, it is best to search for it in organic grocery stores. When purchasing quinoa, try to find whether the seeds were rinsed of their waxy coating, by reading the label. The seeds of quinoa are naturally protected by a wax like substance. If you do not find quinoa that has been rinsed of its coating, then you will have to do that by yourself. Rinse the quinoa in a strainer with plenty of water, then let it soak in water for a few hours and rinse it again. If some of the coating remains on the seed, it will turn into saponin, a bitter substance that will cause an awful taste in your dish. There are little chances to buy coated quinoa on North America or Europe supermarkets, but a little caution never hurts. The seeds of quinoa are usually prepared in the same way as rice. A cup of quinoa must be put in a saucepan with two cups of water over it. The water must reach the boiling point. After that, the pan must be covered and the content left to simmer, while reducing the heat. This will take up to 15 minutes, and after that, it has to be removed. After you remove the pan, the quinoa should look much like cooked rice. And you can use the cooked quinoa in the same way that you would use rice. You can add your favorite dish, like vegetables, or meat, or seasoning. For instance, you can prepare quinoa next to a jambalaya with shrimps. The seeds of quinoa can be turned into flour and used in the cooking process. But, for baking, the flour obtained from quinoa must be added to some sorghum flour or tapioca starch, or, otherwise, you will not get good results. With two parts quinoa flour, two parts sorghum flour and one part tapioca starch, you will have the perfect baking mix. You can use quinoa meals to add something new on your family's menu or to help a member of the family that has intolerance to gluten. This is the perfect supplement for your diet. About The Author: Freeda is a writer and publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com |
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