Perfectly Cooked Quinoa
I used to not like quinoa - at all. But I brought it back into my diet recently, and am loving it! This just goes to show you that even healthy food bloggers can have aversions to certain foods. And that it always pays to keep trying things - because you never know when your tastes might change!
This is how I cook all of my quinoa. And promise me you'll try the kombu - see my notes for details :-)
Perfectly Cooked Quinoa
Makes 4 servings (approximately 3 cups cooked)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed very well
2 cups filtered water
2-inch piece kombu (optional) or 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
Place water, rinsed quinoa and kombu in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a bare simmer, cover, and gently cook for 15-20 minutes - until all the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat, and let the quinoa sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. Discard kombu and gently fluff with a fork before serving or storing.
Notes:
Use any variety of quinoa you prefer - red, black, white, or a mix of all three. Red and black quinoa are slightly earthier in taste than the white variety, but the differences are subtle.
It's very important to rinse quinoa well before cooking to remove any bitter taste. I rinse it just past the point of thinking I rinsed it enough.
Instead of salt, try using kombu (a seaweed) to flavor the quinoa. You can find it online or at any major health food store such as Whole Foods. When you add kombu to grains (or beans) while cooking, it infuses them with minerals, makes them more digestible, and reduces the likelihood of acidity and bloating. You won't taste the seaweed - promise!
For extra-fluffy quinoa, place a paper towel under the lid while the quinoa sits after it's cooked. The paper towel will absorb any excess water.
