Quinoa

[FoodMuse]

I know this quinoa is an old post, but I have a recipe for quinoa burgers.It is simple. Okay not that simple. I do a lot of meatless cooking, my clientel is comprised of vegans and it is challenging.

Oooph I was close to being hired to "cook" raw food for someone. I'm sort of glad that never happened.

That's a great recipe. Thanks for posting.

grace

Edited November 11, 2010 by FoodMuse (log)

[Tom Gengo]

Corinna

Can't remember the name of the poultry seasoning. It's a little box with a turkey on it.

So good.

Grace

It is called Bells Seasoning- the box is yellow.

[Nyleve Baar]

Just from personal experience, I find that quinoa is better cooked in 1-1/2 times the volume of liquid than double. At double, it goes a bit mushier than I like it. 1 cup quinoa, 1-1/2 cups water or stock - cook covered for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before doing whatever you want to do with it.

[andiesenji]

Reviving this thread since Quinoa became my new go to grain. I've never really liked rice and this make a great substitute.

I enjoyed the white/yellow variety and just now got the red quinoa. Anyone try this variety? I also saw a black quinoa.

Grace

I have used both the red and black quinoa - ordered from World Pantry/Alter Eco and also ordered red quinoa from Barry farm.

In my opinion, the red and black have less of the saponins as they don't foam as much when being rinsed and have none of the bitter flavor I notice in the white.

Of course it may just be my imagination.

I am eating them regularly as they are supposed to be very good for people with hypertension.

I mix it with amaranth seed, 3/4 quinoa to 1/4 amaranth as both a cereal and a savory side dish.

Since I have been consuming it on a regular basis, my blood pressure has dropped enough that my doctor has reduced the strength of my medication. I think it has also had an effect on my cholesterol but that wasn't really elevated before, never has been.

[Kouign Aman]

I like it pretty basic - cooked in stock, and served as a side dish.

Its nice in soups where you might use barley more traditionally.

It works in place of bulgar or couscous in a lot of things.

Its nice in stuffed vegetables as many have mentioned.

If you like fluffy turkey stuffing instead of dense, its nice

to mix in a little pre-cooked quinoa there too.

[FoodMuse]

I tried the red quinoa last night and it is quite different than the pale yellow/white type. It's more savory with a wonderful texture reminiscent of seeds. I'll be using the leftovers as a salad base with lots of cilantro, chili pepper, lime juice and red onion.

If you want quinoa that is more like wild rice I'd go for the red.

If you want a replacement for couscous go with the white.

Anyone try the black variety? I'll report back when I do.

[llc45]

Can I get away with not rinsing the red? Maybe I sound like a slacker but one of the reasons I don't make quinoa more often is I hate rinsing it. Maybe someone could suggest a better technique but I put it in a fine mesh sieve to rinse and then it takes forever to get the little pieces of quinoa out of the sieve. I have also just tried soaking it but inevitably end up pouring too much quinoa down the drain when I try to pour the water off. Might use it much more often if I didn't have to rinse the red/black...

[FoodMuse]

Can I get away with not rinsing the red? Maybe I sound like a slacker but one of the reasons I don't make quinoa more often is I hate rinsing it. Maybe someone could suggest a better technique but I put it in a fine mesh sieve to rinse and then it takes forever to get the little pieces of quinoa out of the sieve. I have also just tried soaking it but inevitably end up pouring too much quinoa down the drain when I try to pour the water off. Might use it much more often if I didn't have to rinse the red/black...

I know what you mean. It turns out the two boxed brands I've used so far both say they do not need rinsing. Both grains are intact, but polished and prewashed.

I didn't rinse the red quinoa last nite and it was just fine. Maybe it's only if you buy it in bulk?

Grace

[helenjp]

There are several cookbooks on Peruvian cooking in English that should have recipes for quinoa...I believe The Art of Peruvian Cuisine is the glamorous choice, though I'm considering something more compact, like Exotic Kitchens of Peru. Meanwhile...

[helenjp]

Forgot to say, there is a nice salad in Peter Gordon's "Salads" book...a base of charred tomatoes, topped with a mixed salad of greens, quinoa, and olives, then lightly grilled tuna or other flavorsome fish (or beef...), and a kind of "solid dressing" of chopped boiled egg, parsley, and capers to top it off. It made an excellent one-dish dinner tonight.

I had some cooked quinoa left, so simmered it in coconut milk with rum and a little sugar, added some concentrated coffee and thickened it slightly with potato starch, and then spooned it around some sweetened mushy azuki beans and left it to set. The very slight remaining crunch of the quinoa worked well.

[llc45]

I know what you mean. It turns out the two boxed brands I've used so far both say they do not need rinsing. Both grains are intact, but polished and prewashed.

I didn't rinse the red quinoa last nite and it was just fine. Maybe it's only if you buy it in bulk?

Grace

Grace - Good to know that I can start looking for prewashed. I know there are times that I've cooked it without rinsing that it hasn't been bitter. But, lately, I have been buying in bulk from costco and that definitely needs to be rinsed well.

[andiesenji]

When you wash any tiny grain - use a piece of muslin to line the colander.

I use teff and amaranth in several recipes and the seeds are so tiny it would all go down the drain.

The inexpensive "flour-sack" towels are muslin but if you go to a fabric store, ask for "fine" unbleached muslin - it is cheap - get a couple of yards and cut it into the size pieces that work for you (to the size of the colander).

Do wash it first to get rid of the sizing.

I recently bought the end of a bolt which had 6+ yards on it and because I took the whole thing, got it at half price. You can make your own dish towels and they don't even need to be hemmed. The weave is so tight that the fabric does not easily unravel.

[llc45]

Thanks Andie - I will definitely give that a try.

[heidih]

When I have cooked quinoa I rinsed well and cooked with just less than twice the amount of water and let it steam before fluffing. I enjoyed the texture. In the ghastly heat of 100 degrees in May in Los Angeles I am eyeing the mixed color quinoa in the pantry for a salad. My question concerns toasting. Several online recipes tout the nutty result of toasting before simmering. If you toast it do you let it completely dry after rinsing? Is it worth it? 

[Franci]

If you toast it do you let it completely dry after rinsing? Is it worth it?

I generally toast quinoa as I prefer it, I rinse it and leave to dry in the colander for about 10 minutes before toasting. But I never used a mixed bag, I find that red or black quinoa calls for much less water.