We love quinoa! Why? Quite simply. The pseudo grain is not only delicious, but also very easy to prepare. Discover all the important tips and tricks for cooking quinoa here.
Quinoa is a true superfood. But what actually makes a superfood? Ideally, they are foods with few calories and lots of important nutrients.
Quinoa is bursting with vitamins and minerals. 100 g of uncooked quinoa has only 365 calories. In addition, the pseudocereal is rich in fiber and protein.
For this reason alone, it pays to have the grain regularly on the menu. But cooking quinoa has even more advantages.
Table of contents
The low-fat cereal provides plenty of iron, magnesium and calcium. So it covers all the essential nutrients.
These components are especially important for people who live vegan. If you eat quinoa regularly, you can successfully counteract a deficiency.
Mega delicious: Quinoa salad with sweet potatoes!
To benefit from the advantages, you need to prepare the pseudocereal properly. And that starts even before you start cooking with quinoa.
To make sure you do everything right and nothing goes wrong, we've put together instructions for preparing quinoa.
On the wooden spoons, get set and go!
How to cook quinoa in the crock pot works out
Quinoa is not only good for your health, but also tastes delicious. Here you will learn in a few steps how easy it is to prepare quinoa in the crock pot.
Did you know that you can make porridge from quinoa?
1. prepare quinoa properly before cooking
Before you start cooking quinoa, you must first wash the grains thoroughly. Why? It may be that there are still small remnants of the shells.
The peel contains saponins. Although they are not harmful to health, they taste really bitter. And who wants that?
- Pour the desired amount into a fine-mesh sieve.
- Hold the sieve under cold running water.
- Do you only have a coarse-mesh sieve? Never mind. Then it's best to place a coffee filter or a linen towel in the sieve. Then the grains will stay where they belong.
- You then wash the grain until the water flows through clearly.
2. off into the pot
So the grains are clean, now it's time to cook.
- Put the desired amount of quinoa in a saucepan.
- Add to this twice the amount of water. So for one cup of quinoa there are 2 cups of water.
- Salt the water.
- Bring the whole thing to the boil once. When the water begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium.
- With the lid closed, let the quinoa simmer slowly. You can also stir from time to time.
Tip: Instead of salt, you can also use curry powder or vegetable broth. This way, the flavor already comes into the dish when cooking quinoa.
3. the tasting
After about 15 minutes, the liquid should have evaporated. You can recognize the right consistency by the fact that the grains have a slightly glassy structure.
- Carefully taste a few grains. So you see if the consistency fits or not.
- If this is the case, then you only need to pour off the remaining water - if there is any left.
- If the grains are still too firm, you can let them simmer a little more.
- If there is no more liquid in the pot, add a dash of water.
4. straining and resting loads
The grains have the right consistency? Perfect! Then strain with a sieve.
Furthermore, loosen a little with a fork so that the grains do not clump together. It is important to let the grain rest for about 10 minutes before further processing or serving.
Done! That was super easy, right? :)
Quinoa salad in a jar tastes so delicious!
This is how the preparation of quinoa in the rice stove works
Of course, you can also leave the cooking of quinoa to the rice stove. This has the great advantage that you do not have to regulate the heat.
In addition, you can easily keep the portion warm for a longer period after preparation. Without the pseudo cereal becoming mushy or overcooked.
Generally, quinoa will be a little creamier in the rice stove than in the pot.
Whether rice stove or crock pot: cooking quinoa is hardly different.
- You start with the thorough washing. You do this again until the water flows through clearly.
- Then you put the grains in the rice stove.
- To this is added twice the amount of tap water, with a little salt.
- Then all you have to do is press the little button on the rice stove.
- Again, it takes about 15 minutes. Then the grains should be firm to the bite and slightly glazed.
You are not yet satisfied with the consistency? Then you can also extend the cooking time a little here with a shot of water.
The best tips for cooking quinoa
There are a few tips and tricks that make the preparation of quinoa even easier. And those that you should not ignore in any case. We have collected the best ones here for you. So nothing can go wrong when cooking quinoa :)
These vegan quinoa fritters are sure to please!
Tip 1: Wash the pseudo cereal before cooking
You can make the first mistake even before cooking. You forget to wash the grains thoroughly.
This is very important. Otherwise, there may still be shell residues in the quinoa.
If you forget to clean the grains before cooking quinoa, you may easily pay for it with a bitter taste.
Therefore, it is important to always put the grain into a fine-mesh sieve first and hold it under running water.
You can put the sieve in a bowl and fill it with water. The shell residues then float on the surface. But I only do this when I notice that there are really many shells in the quinoa.
Only when you wash the quinoa before cooking it will it develop that delicious nutty flavor.
Tip 2: Prepare quinoa - Note the right amount of water and cooking time
Timing is important! And not only in sports. Also when cooking quinoa.
We have had good experience with simmering the grains for about 15 minutes. The ratio between grains and water is 1:2.
This is how you turn feta, quinoa, and cauliflower into a mega delicious dish!
After the cooking time, there is usually no more liquid in the pot. To be on the safe side, however, you should check a few times to see if there is any water left.
Not that you burn the delicious quinoa. That would be a real shame.
You want to save yourself the trouble of checking? Then you can also use three times as much water as grain.
You put 100 g of quinoa with 300 ml of water in the pot. Again, the cooking time is 15 minutes.
The remaining liquid must then be strained with the help of a sieve.
Tip 3: Strain cooked quinoa grains
Your dishes with quinoa become too mushy? Then it may well be that you forget to strain the grains after cooking.
Simply place in a fine-mesh sieve and wait until all the liquid has drained off. This way you are on the safe side and the grains are firm to the bite, as they should be.
However, if quinoa gets mushy, it may be because you cooked it too long.
Tip 4: Let rest and loosen with a fork
After straining, quinoa quickly clumps together. Especially if it is processed immediately.
Therefore, after straining the grains with a fork, it is important to loosen them a little and let them rest. The resting time should be about 15 minutes.
Quick and easy: Quinoa soup with coconut milk
Then you can continue to process or serve the quinoa as usual.
How you can refine quinoa
The pseudo cereal naturally has a slightly nutty flavor. Is that too little for you?
Here come the best tips to make it a bit delicious.
Quinoa cooking with broth
You can also use broth when cooking quinoa. Then you already have a delicious, spicy flavor after cooking. Similar to cooking rice. You can use any broth you can think of.
You prefer a mild taste? Then it's best to use chicken or vegetable broth.
For a stronger flavor, a beef broth is suitable.
Of course, you can also pour a fish or seafood broth over the quinoa. This goes perfectly with a fine fish fillet.
You want to tone down the flavor of the broth a bit? No problem! Then just take half broth and half water.
Taste due to roasting
Prepare quinoa with more flavor? This can also be done by roasting.
After washing the grains, put them in a pan with olive oil. Roast them for one or two minutes.
Try this delicious quinoa bowl!
Roasting makes the quinoa more kernel-like. This also enhances its nutty flavor. Then cook the grain as usual.
Preparation of quinoa with spices and herbs
You love fresh herbs? That's good. Spices like paprika, curry or tomato paste give savory dishes a very special touch.
Fresh herbs like basil or parsley are also great for the flavor upgrade.
Basil, however, is not cooked in, but stirred in later when serving.
You can also reach for rosemary and cook it with quinoa. Tastes wonderful!
Cooked quinoa grains bake
It becomes really tasty and crispy when the grain is baked in the oven after cooking.
- After cooking the quinoa, spread the grains on a baking paper.
- Place the paper on a baking tray and bake the quinoa for about 30 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius.
The golden brown grains are perfect as a topping for your cereal or as a snack between meals.
Prepare desserts with quinoa
You like it rather sweet? No problem.
Just use milk to cook quinoa instead of water. After cooking you taste the grain with Cinnamon* and honey.
You can also refine it with a little butter. You like it fancy? Then use the favorite spice of the Finns: Cardamom*.
You can also bake the cooked quinoa in the oven as described above. Then you get delicious quinoa crispies.
Our conclusion
Your mouth is watering, too? Then don't hesitate to try the delicious grain. Cooking quinoa is really quite simple.
The ingredients for the basic recipe are usually always in the house. The special thing about the grains is that they can be used in so many different ways. Whether savory or sweet, there is something for everyone.
Have fun trying it out and enjoy it :)
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