Quick Guidance on Quinoa? (FAZ?)

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, I'm about to give quinoa another chance. (Last chance was 10+ years ago.) I know I need to rinse rinse rinse it.

The packet says I need to toast it, until it changes colour and makes a smell, before cooking it. Should I do this with oil, onions, garlic? Or on its own?

And it says I need to cook it in water until it goes clear. Websites indicate this is 10-15 minutes. Is that right? Or does it take longer?

I've never toasted mine. I cook it like I cook rice, in stalk, w/added onions and garlic and a touch of olive oil.I just taste it till it's soft.

Hmmm, but rice comes out better if you fry it a tiny bit first, though ... Might just treat it like rice.

About how long does it take to cook, anyway? I will stop cooking when it's soft, but need to know the timing, vaguely, to co-ordinate the other bits and bobs.

I'd give it 15-20 minutes, but I like it really soft!

Cool, thanks.

Current plan is, fry onion + garlic, add mushrooms, add quinoa, fry a bit, add water, boil. Add a bit of parmesan at the end.

Serve with stir-fried cabbage. I think.

that sounds YUMMY! we're doing ours tonight w/black beans, red onion, peas and balsamic vinaigrette.

I love Quinoa. And thanks to Mr Oliver (whose school dinner 'Feed Me Better' menu my DD is currently enjoying at school) I am also now a big fan of couscous as well.

My horizons are broadening! :) (Just thought I'd share.. in the spirit of useless posts on sensible threads!! :))

SJ x

I need to do more with beans. I bought mung beans last week, no idea what to do with them, though.

Finally, though, we're not doing quinoa tonight, as none of the ingredients of that meal are near going off, iyswim. So tonight is salad, guacomole, tortillas and cheese. With brown basmati rice pudding for dessert. We'll have it tomorrow, probably.

'makes a smell' I wouldn't trust anything with instructions that say that!!

Ok, the packet actually says "emits a fragrant aroma". Which seems more sinister to me, honestly.

All of a sudden "emit a fragrant aroma" sounds like a really good euphemism for "fart".

Pmsl!

LOL, what was it like?

I never toast it, ever. I didn't know you could.

I just boil it and use it instead of rice, I never do 'recipes' with it. Maybe it is just a thing of you like it or you don't?

Oh, didn't end up having it last night, finally, had guacamole instead. Tonight, probably.

Actually, one of the women I was out drinking with last night does quinoa, as well, and toasts it, too. I'll probably fry it with onions etc.

Ok, had it tonight. Fried onion + garlic, coriander, cumin, added mushrooms, then quinoa. Fried it all a bit, added water, spinach, then a bit of cream and a bit of parmesan.

Came out quite well. I'm not 100% in love with the flavour, but I don't dislike it, certainly. It's a bit sharp, like coriander or something. I like the texture, quite a bit. Will probably try it a bit simpler later.

DS2 didn't eat it, but is weird about food atm. DS1 ate it ok, although he said he didn't like it. He's not a big fan of spinach, though.

Hmm, I don't really like coriander so not sure about that. I don't think it has much of a flavour myself, just a mildish nutty taste with a little bit of bite at the end.

And that bitter taste with certain brands if you don't wash it - maybe worth trying different brands in fact as some do have more of a bitter tang IMO.

NQC,I second Franny.
Just have it plain.
Too many conflicting flavours in your recipe imho.

Yes, definately too many flavours there.

But I never eat rice or pasta plain, so I'd be unlikely to have quinoa plain.