Quinoa (pronounced keh-NO-ah or, sometimes, KEEN-wah) are tiny edible seeds. They are a primary source of food staple for natives living in the Andean region of South America.
Quinoa has gain much popularity abroad, especially in the U.S. The United Nations has even declared 2013 as “International Year of Quinoa”.
Why eat quinoa? Because it’s really good for you! Quinoa grains contain essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Lysine is an amino acid important for tissue growth and repair.
Cooking instructions using pressure cooker:
First soak the quinoa in water for 5 minutes to clean it and helps remove the bitter saponins.
2 cups of rinsed quinoa
2.5 cups of water
Set in pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
I like the pressure cooker because it came out nice and fluffy all the time.
Other ways to cook include steaming or boiling. Some have even cooked quinoa in a rice cooker.
The seeds are nutty and a bit chewy. Once cooked, the grain germ separates from the seeds and looks really interesting.
There are so many interesting recipes, such as quinoa salads or quinoa veggie burger. So far I’ve only added cooked quinoa to Tom Yum soup. It makes for a healthy and filling soup on a cold day.
Other interesting notes about Quinoa:
In South America, Quinoa saponin is used as detergent for clothing and washing, and as an antiseptic for skin injuries.
Quinoa grain has also been used for poultry and livestock feed.
Photo of Quinoa in flower.
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