How to Cook Quinoa

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Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah, which to me just seems silly, why not just pronounce it phonetically?!) is a seed that looks like a grain. It comes from South America & is one of those ‘super foods’ everyone is harping on about. It is packet with protein and has a chewy, fluffy texture like a large, rough cous cous and a kind of nutty flavour. I used the white quinoa which is milder than the red & black varieties.

I was quite intrigued by the texture & flavour of the quinoa – whilst I won’t be using it to replace couscous, I will probably continue to use it as a substitute for pasta when making bolognaise etc.

Here is a quick run-down of how to prepare it:

1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa. I rinse mine in a sieve as the grains are quite small.

2. Soak 1 cup (200g approximately) quinoa in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water (375ml) for 15 minutes.

3. Place the pan on high heat & bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low & cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

My broccoli, bacon & quinoa fritters are a great way to use your new favourite super food!

Sunny xx