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PrintQuinoa, or the rice of the Incas
Technically quinoa is not a true grain, but the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant from the same family as spinach and beets.
Quinoa grains range in color from ivory to pink, brown to red, or almost black depending on the variety. There are over 120 species of Chenopodium, but only three main varieties are cultivated; one producing very pale seeds, called the white or sweet variety; a dark red fruited variety called red quinoa; and a black quinoa.
Quinoa's origins are truly ancient. It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of Incan civilization. The ancient Incas called quinoa "chisiya mama" - the "mother grain" and revered it as sacred. Each year at planting time it was traditional for the Inca leader to plant the first quinoa seed using a solid gold shovel. Quinoa was used to sustain Incan armies, which frequently marched for many days eating a mixture of quinoa and fat, known as "war balls."
Unlike corn and potatoes, quinoa aroused little interest from the 16th century Spanish Conquistadores, who instead focused their energies on growing wheat and barley. Thus began a 400-year decline in the production of quinoa. It became a minor crop and was grown only by peasants in remote areas for local consumption. Only in the 1970s was interest revived as quinoa began to be more widely consumed in North America and Europe, though declining in South America.
In Peru, Chile and Bolivia, quinoa is now widely cultivated for its nutritious seeds, referred to as "little rice." The seeds are used as is in soups, or ground into flour for bread. They are also fermented with millet to make a beer-like beverage.
Quinoa is low in fat, rich in iron and magnesium, gluten free and easily digestible. Furthermore it contains all the essential amino acids. Its essential nutritional qualities make it an attractive ingredient for vegetarians and athletes. Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain (16.2%), compared with 7.5%r rice, 9.9% for millet, and 14% for wheat. It is a complete protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal - similar to milk! It is therefore highly recommended as an addition to legumes in a diet that contains little or no meat.
Rich in trace elements, quinoa is an excellent remineralizer.
- Calories: 150 per 100 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.6 g
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Water: 9%
Rich in
- magnesium
- potassium
- copper
- riboflavin
- lysine
- cystine
- zinc
- phosphorus
- vitamins B and C
Quinoa is available as grains, flakes or flour.
You can sometimes find wild quinoa, small black grains that resemble poppy seed. The wild grains add a nice crunch, but are rarely used on their own.
Quinoa is also found in mixed grain preparations (rice cakes and puffed quinoa, muesli, etc.)
Rinse the quinoa in cold water until the grain stops foaming to remove the saponine that coats it. It's an essential step for removing the bitterness.
Note: Some Quinoa has already been fully cleaned and washed prior to packaging and does not need rinsing.
Grain
Place the quinoa in twice its volume of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, it becomes transparent, with its small spiral white germ visible: it has a tendency to separate from the grain itself.
Its crunchy texture is paired with a slightly nutty flavor. Quinoa makes a simple and practical alternative to rice and pasta. It can be cooked as a pilaf, but there are other ways of serving it: substitute it for other grains (in tabbouleh, couscous, risotto, etc.), in stuffed vegetables or poultry, added to soups, or even in composed salads.
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