Re: Cooking NT for One? Help! (quinoa)

[Guest guest]

No no, quinoa must be soaked in an acid solution (warm water w/whey, lemon

juice, or yogurt) for at least 12 hours to remove phytic acid and/or enzyme

inhibitors. The native peoples who ate this food traditionally (Peruvians, some

Africans) always prepared it this way.

However, soaked or not, it still cooks up very quickly. It's not a true cereal

grain, it's a " pseudo-cereal " because it does not grow from a grass like wheat

or rice.

[Guest guest]

I use quinoa once in a while. I've been soaking it in water. If I

soak it in an acid solution, do I throw the solution away before

cooking? Thanks.

Patty

No no, quinoa must be soaked in an acid solution (warm water w/whey,

lemon juice, or yogurt) for at least 12 hours to remove phytic acid

and/or enzyme inhibitors. The native peoples who ate this food

traditionally (Peruvians, some Africans) always prepared it this way.

[Guest guest]

Yes, throw it out. What I usually do, because the quinoa is so tiny and easily

poured out as well, is line a strainer with cheese cloth, pour the whole thing

through that and rinse a few times (especially if you use yogurt or buttermilk

in the water).

I also find that it needs almost half the amount of liquid to cook in after

soaking. Just experiment w/this.

[Guest guest]

Why does quinoa need to be rinsed? Do grains in general need to be

rinsed after soaking?

>

> Yes, throw it out. What I usually do, because the quinoa is so tiny

and easily poured out as well, is line a strainer with cheese cloth,

pour the whole thing through that and rinse a few times (especially if

you use yogurt or buttermilk in the water).

>

> I also find that it needs almost half the amount of liquid to cook

in after soaking. Just experiment w/this.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>Why does quinoa need to be rinsed? Do grains in general need to be

>rinsed after soaking?

I don't think they *need* to be rinsed, but I prefer to rinse them. Particularly

if I use something thick and white like yogurt -- if only to get rid of the

white residue left behind after draining. Just personal preference there.

[Guest guest]

>

> Why does quinoa need to be rinsed? Do grains in general need to be

> rinsed after soaking?

>

Quinoa has a bitter saponin on its surface that should be rinsed off

before cooking...pretty sure it was done traditionally. It tastes

soapy and bitter and definitely not something I would want to eat.

Many suppliers pre-rinse quinoa now, so a lot of times it is not

necessary to rinse it.

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