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Quinoa is used as a grain, but it's actually a seed. It grows on a plant that ranges from 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 metres) tall, whose stalks flower and then produce tiny seeds about 1/8 inch (32 mm) in diameter, that can be white, black, pink or red. They look rather like bird seed -- or, more kindly, sesame seed.

If you've heard about Quinoa, chances are you've heard "wonder grain", "more protein than wheat", "ancient food treasured by the ancient Incas..." but you'll have noticed that, like anything sanctioned by the Health Foodies, they never quite get around to mentioning taste, and when they do, it's always "oh, taste? mild nutty flavour."

Truth is, to many people's tastes, Quinoa is bitter. It isn't even a pleasant bitterness, like say rocket, or radicchio or watercress. It's just bitter. The black and red seeds are the most bitter; the white ones less so. The bitterness comes from a waxy coating on all the seeds, which is nature's way of making them unappealing to birds and insects (and one might add, to us.) Almost all Quinoa sold commercially is processed to remove most of this bitter coating, but you've still got to do a bit of followup work with thorough rinsing.

And even that doesn't entirely clear away the bitter taste. Served solo, it's terrible. Perhaps the ancient Incas did ate it that way, but they probably also ate bugs, and we won't be acquiring a taste for that anytime soon, either. You really need to combine it with other grains so that its bitter flavour isn't as pronounced.

And if after all that, your beloved still looks up from the plate and asks why you're having bird seed for dinner, just make sure you haven't planned something equally healthy for afters.

Cooking Tips
You've got to use a lot of water in getting Quinoa ready to cook (perhaps the enthusiasm for Mother Earth amongst the organic, natural crowd doesn't extend to their water usage at home.) That bitter waxy coating is water soluble, so you can shift some of it. Soak all the seeds in water for 5 minutes. Then rub all the grains through your hands, then put in a strainer and rinse under running water, running your fingers through the seeds until the water runs clear and there is no foam or suds left amongst the seeds. You are going to have to run the water for several minutes.

To cook, use 2 parts of water to 1 part of dry seeds. Bring to the boil, cover, then simmer for about 25 minutes until tender. Then fluff with a fork.

Substitutes
Brown rice, amaranth, couscous, bulgur wheat.

Nutrition
Valued for good balance of proteins, better than most other grains. Also has iron and calcium. The bitter substance that coats it may also be somewhat toxic.

Equivalents
1 cup uncooked Quinoa seeds = 4 cups cooked (Quinoa quadruples in size when cooked)
1 cup uncooked Quinoa seeds = 170g = 6 oz by weight

Storage
3 to 4 weeks at room temperature; to store longer term refrigerate or freeze so that the protein doesn't go rancid.

History
The Incas in Peru counted on Quinoa as a principle food, just as others elsewhere relied on rice or wheat.

Language Notes
Pronounced "keenwah" or "ke-chewa" or "kee-noo-ah", depending on the dialect, meaning "mother."

Also called:

Other entries for: Quinoa

Quinoa Flakes, Quinoa

Other entries for:

Grains
Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Cereals, Corn, Flax, Kamut, Millet, Oats, Red River Cereal, Rice, Rye, Semolina, Sorghum, Spelt, Teff, Triticale, Wheat