Quinoa pronounced keen-wah, has been the magical grain of the Incas for over a thousand years to supplement their diet of corn and potatoes. It thrives at high altitudes, perfect for the fields high up in the mystic and one of the new seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu in the Andes near Lima, Peru.

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Rich in iron, quinoa was in fact power and fuel for those who lived and worked as hard as oxen in this very low oxygen areas of the world.

Its rediscovery has brought it on upscale menus all over the world. In fact, in India as well. I make a wonderful quinoa and lentil cake, on my menu at Nido in Mumbai.

One can find it in most cities in good food stores and supermarkets or one can easily buy it on line.

Try to do a quinoa biryani as well  — follow your favourite recipe but replace the rice with the quinoa.

These days you can even find gluten-free breads made from quinoa. I recently picked up quinoa spaghetti on one of my trips. The flavour is nutty and goes so well almost with any ingredient.

Cooking quinoa is not rocket science. One needs to rinse the seeds a couple of times, until the water runs clear, before cooking. The ratio for cooking is two parts of water to one part of quinoa. The water can be a stock flavoured with spices, herbs, onions, leeks or whatever the chef inside you feels.  You can do a nice kheer with quinoa as well. In South America, some wonderful sweets and puddings are made in most households.

Start by cooking quinoa in cold water. Bring it to a simmer until the most of the water is absorbed. Cover the pot and let it soften for about 10 minutes. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to cook completely.Try this recipe at home.

Quinoa Lentil SaladIngredients1 cup quinoa

½ cup black channa, cooked

1 cup cauliflower florets

1/3 cup pomegranate

1/3 cup spring onions, chopped

1 cup baby carrots

6 to 7 spears asparagus

1/3 cup broccoli florets

Salt and pepper to taste

For the dressingJuice from half a sweet lime

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp chopped coriander

1 tsp basil leaves

½ tsp green chilli

½ tsp lemon grass minced

3 tbsp olive oil

MethodRinse the quinoa well under cold water and drain. It’s handy to use a fine mesh sieve for rinsing. Put the rinsed quinoa into a saucepan and add cold water. The quinoa to water ratio is 1:2,  so  use two cups of water for every cup of quinoa. Add a dash of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and set the lid just ajar, to prevent boiling over. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

The quinoa goes a bit transparent when it’s cooked. When done,  turn off the heat, put the lid on and let sit for about five minutes.

Use a fork to fluff up the quinoa. Add the other ingredients to it and toss well. Season to taste.

For the dressings, whisk all the ingredients. Dress and drizzle over the quinoa salad.