Quinoa

emaybe

How the heck do you cook it?!?!?!?

My ex used to make this stuff all the time, it was delicious, but I never bothered to watch him cook it.

All of the instructions I've found online are totally contradictory, and I've never found it packaged (i.e. with instructions) at the grocery... I've had a little container of it that I bought from the bulk section of a Whole Foods in my pantry for a year and am just too threatened by it to make the stuff.

Help??

alecta337

boil it in broth like rice

fallenangel2904

Funny- my ex used to make Quinoa all the time also haha! I had never heard of it before him (And come to find out now we had been pronouncing it wrong for a very long time LOL). He always cooked it with water or low sodium broth and let it simmer slowly. He bought it at Whole Foods also, and it came with directions (luckily lol) It is intimidating though- especially because there is several different types.

This is an interesting read I found a while ago when I tried to find out a little bit more about how to cook it. I believe the basic principle is a 2 to 1 ratio of quinoa to water or liquid.

http://www.cookingquinoa.net/how-to-cook-quinoa-perfectly/

Have not tried to cook it on my own yet so maybe someone else can come along who is more knowledgeable

CallejaFairey

Servings: 4 • Size: 8 oz • Time: 15 minutes

* 1 cup quinoa
* 2 cups water (or broth)
* salt

Wash quinoa and add to a medium saucepan. Add water or broth, salt and boil, covered for 15 minutes or until all the water has absorbed. You will know when they are cooked when they are fluffy and you see a small thread. Fluff with a fork and it will be ready to use for other recipes. You can store it in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days and reheat in the microwave.


i made a great quinoa tabouleh the other night
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-Tabbouleh/Detail.aspx
i adjusted it so that it was a little more healthy, it was delish!

and a few others i want to try
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-Pudding/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tomato-Mint-Quinoa-Salad/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Carons-Kickin-Quinoa-Salad/Detail.aspx

pyroxian

I basically treat it like fast cooking rice, however I've found that it's much better if I thoroughly wash it in cold water (by rubbing it together in my palms under running water) to remove the tannins which can make it bitter.

2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa, simmer 15 minutes, let stand 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.

I've used low sodium chicken broth or plain water, but my favorite is water with a low sodium vegetable broth cube per cup of water.

afteil

quinoa is one of those amazing foods where you can eat it simply like rice, eat it cold as salad, use it to make "risotto", thicken stews or in place of pasta in soups and even pack it together and pan fry it for texture. To actually cook it like others have said you make it just like you would rice, but the possible recipes to use it in are endless, delicious and nutritious

monkeyboy881

do they sell it at safeway ????

Levedi

Love this thread - I've been wanting to try quinoa, but didn't know what to do with it. Any recipe ideas?

afteil

Most supermarkets sell it now, its one of those foods that has been around forever but is just now starting to get more popular (at least in the western world)\

There are a ton of great recipes for it, and you can use it in place of pasta or rice in pretty much any dish
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Tomato-Quinoa-238939 is one of my favs- screw side dish i'll eat this as a main lol

sammybey

I cook it in my rice cooker, and use it in place of rice in recipes. I love the red quinoa!

a_stronger_steph

I second the rice cooker!! If you don't have one, I think they're fairly inexpensive. I know some people find them gimmicky, but I adore mine. I cook all sorts of things in it - rice, quinoa, barley, kasha, and not to mention it doubles as a steamer (mine has a small plastic tray to steam veggies). Then I don't have to even think about the grain that's going with my meal while I cook up the rest of it, plus it frees up a burner on my stove.

So yeah - basic idea, two parts liquid to one part quinoa. I like using half water, half stock. Mmm.

rosiesparkle100

Its also really nice as a porridge for breakfast, make it with twice the amount of milk, coconut or almond milk, some red fruit and a bit of agave syrup and cinammon, delicious!:-)

InstantSunshine

do they sell it at safeway ????

Sainsbury's do Merchant Gourmet ready cooked quinoa in microwave pouches, zap for 2 mins. I haven't seen that anywhere else, but most supermarkets will do it raw. You just boil it up and stop when the little tails come out (if you've never done it, don't worry, as soon as you do then you'll know what I mean!)

Just_Dot

Safeway sells it...Check in the "organic" or "natural foods" section.

I get mine in bulk from Sprouts. Sooooo good!