Published on Oct 24, 2024 By: Meera
How To Cook the Perfect Quinoa
loose and fluffy
Making quinoa is easy! In just 30 minutes, you can have delicious, loose, and fluffy quinoa on the table, ready to be savoured. Serve with beans, potatoes, or tofu, in salads, or have it as is.
Quinoa is very nutritious!
The quinoa we eat consists of seeds taken from the quinoa plant. Although quinoa is a seed, it is considered a grain. It contains many nutrients, such as fibre, protein, B vitamins, and minerals.
Did you know? Quinoa is a flowering plant that grows in warm climates. So, in many countries where it is cold at both the beginning and end of the year, quinoa grows only there once during the year.
~ loose and fluffy ~
Notes
1. The Golden Ratio
For one part of quinoa, use 2 parts of liquid, or a 1:2 ratio.
Use any teacup or mug to measure: If you’re not looking to make a particular amount of quinoa, no measuring cup is required! Just use a regular-shmegular tea cup or mug to measure: fill the cup with quinoa once, then fill it twice with water.
2. Add some flavour.
Unseasoned quinoa can be pretty bland (or boring), but it doesn’t have to be. Here are two ways to add some *pizzazz* to your quinoa:
- Use stock instead of water (or a stock cube, which I use in this recipe).
- Add your favorite seasonings – paprika, garlic, onion powder, oregano, thyme, etc. – and some salt.
When I use a stock cube, I like to add it to the water as it comes to a boil, but it can also be added later, together with the quinoa – no hard rules.
You can also use stock and seasonings, but be mindful of how much seasonings you put (because the quinoa can easily become over-seasoned).
The Steps
Serve ’em up!
How to Cook Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 2 cups water/ stock or add a stock cube to the water
- seasonings (paprika, garlic/ onion powder, etc.) optional
Instructions
- Add the stock cube and water to a cooking pot that has a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil.
- While the water is coming to a boil, wash your quinoa well.
- Add the quinoa to the boiling water. Now is a good time to add any seasonings (if using ). Stir.
- Cover the pot, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
- Then, turn off the heat and allow the quinoa to rest for 10 minutes, undisturbed.
- After resting, uncover the pot, and use a fork to “fluff up” the quinoa.
- Serve with potatoes, tofu, beans, have in salads, or as is.
Notes
- If using stock/ a cube and seasonings, limit the amount of seasonings you add, or the flavour of the quinoa may be overpowering.
- Check your quinoa to see that it’s free of creepy crawlies, such as weevils or worms. Ensure that it’s fresh.
- Wash your quinoa well, or it may have a bitter taste. Washing also gets rid of bacteria.
- “Undisturbed” means that you shouldn’t lift the pot’s lid (while the quinoa is cooking or resting).
- To store, let the quinoa cool a little before transferring it to an air-tight container. Let it cool completely before refrigerating for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
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