Monday, May 20, 2013

Quinoa -- light and fluffy

I am a fan of grains, but prefer them light and fluffy to chewy.  Quinoa is no exception.  I did some research and found this foolproof way to make quinoa of any type.

"Boil 10 Steam 10"

First measure your quinoa.  I add a great deal of veggies to mine and I find that 1/2 cup dry is good for about 4 servings.  Regardless, this method of cooking quinoa is very forgiving as you aren't relying on boiling off the water to be done.

Place the quinoa in a sieve and place the sieve in a bowl.  Cover the grain with water and rinse it well; lift the sieve to drain.  Repeat 3-4 times until, when agitated, the water remains clear.

Put the quinoa in a saucepan and add 1.5 - 2 times the water as your dry quinoa measure.  I also like to add two minced cloves of garlic to flavor the quinoa.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Drain into the sieve.

Fill the pot with 1" of water and bring to a boil.  Lay the sieve across the top of the pot, making sure the quinoa is not in the water.  Fold a tea towel or dishtowel to fit on top of the quinoa (be careful to ensure you don't have fabric falling out of the pot to eliminate risk of fire.  Place the lid of the pot on top of the towel.   It's alright if you don't have a perfect fit.  Steam for 10 minutes.

Remove the sieve with the quinoa and fluff with a fork.  Allow to cool and fluff.

Use with whatever sauce or accompaniments you like.  For an easy dish, try this recipe for Spicy Quinoa Salad.  

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Spicy, Ecclectic, Veggie Friendly