Quinoa information

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04
  
       Title: QUINOA INFORMATION
  Categories: Info/tips
       Yield: 1 servings
  
  
   Quinoa: Native to the Andes and about the size of
   sesame seeds, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) has a more
   impressive protein profile than that of wheat and
   contains numerous amino acids (lysine, cystine, and
   methionine) not normally found in grains.  It's also
   very quick-cooking, delicious, and easy to digest.
   
   Quinoa must be carefully swooshed in water and rinsed
   multiple times until the water runs clear to remove
   all the bitter saponin coating (believe to be a
   natural insect repellent).  Packaged quinoa tends to
   be cleaner than quinoa bought in bulk.  Rinse the
   quinoa just before cooking and drain it thoroughly.
   If the grain sits for 5 to 10 minutes in a moistened
   condition, the seeds begin to soften and this throws
   off the cooking time.
   
   Plain-cooked quinoa has a slightly grassy taste, so I
   prefer to cook it in vegetable stock with a few cloves
   of garlic or perhaps a generous pinch of dried herbs.
   I have experimented with toasting the quinoa before
   cooking, but I don't think it's worth the effort: The
   grain has a lovely nutty quality and slight crunch
   without any extra fussing.
   
   The trick to preparing quinoa is to be stingy on the
   water and the cooking time:  It can turn to mush in a
   flash.  Be on guard!  Properly cooked, it will be
   light, fluffy, and transparent, with a small white
   filament (the sprout) dangling visibly.  At the end of
   cooking time, if there's unabsorbed liquid in the pot
   and the quinoa is tender, simply pass it through the
   stainer.
   
   Quinoa's mild flavor makes it a very versatile grain.
   Substitute it for bulgar for a sensational Tabbouleh,
   or dye it scarlet with some raw beets and serve it
   warm or at room temperature.  It's also a natural
   cooked with corn, another native American.  For a
   special treat, mail-order Ernie New's organic black
   quinoa; it's gorgeous to look at, and has a delightful
   nutty taste.  Warning: Ernie's black quinoa needs lots
   of rinsing and a minute or two more of cooking.
   
   BLACK QUINOA source:
   
   :       Ernie New
   :       White Mountain Farm, Inc.
   :       8890 Lane 4 North
   :       Mosca, CO 81146
   :       719-378-2436
   
   Source: Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen - by Lorna
   J. Sass
   :       ISBN: 0-688-1051-1
   :       Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
  
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