Quinoa has more than one health benefits that have been proven by research. It is known as one of the world’s most popular health foods. It has a good amount of all nine amino acids. Only a few plant foods in the world can boast such a quality and quinoa is one of them. It is highly nutritious with fibre, different vitamins and minerals like iron and potassium. However, most people have only ever eaten this food forcefully because it is too bland and tasteless. If you are one of these people, you are seriously missing out. There are methods on how to spice up the quinoa and make it taste heavenly. Let’s get straight into it.
5 Recommended Methods to Spice Up the Quinoa
Perfectly Cooked Quinoa
Now, we want the quinoa to be perfectly cooked. It should not be mushy or overly-cooked. It also should not be too dry because the dressing we add later would be absorbed by it. We need proper fluffy quinoa. The amount of water we take, the time we cook it and the high and low heat all play a major role in its perfectness. But you do not have to go on experimenting by yourself because we have the perfect recipe for you.
Start by taking one cup of quinoa. Remember that one cup uncooked quinoa becomes at least three cups after cooking. Keep this measurement in mind when starting. Take double the amount of water. So, for one cup quinoa, take two cups of water.
You need to properly rinse quinoa under running water. Do it for at least half a minute. There is bitterness in the quinoa which is only removed if it is properly washed. After that drain it well, so no bitter water is left behind. Take a saucepan and add both the water quinoa to it. Cook it until it boils over medium heat. Then turn the heat down and cook it on a low simmer until all the water has been soaked up by the quinoa. This will be around fifteen to twenty minutes.
After it is done, close the heat and cover the saucepan with a lid and let quinoa steam. This step is essential to bring out the fluffiness. After the time is up, remove the lid and move it around with a fork. Season it and it is ready to be served!
Healthy Quinoa Seasonings
After we have prepared the fluffy quinoa from the above recipe, we should add some healthy quinoa seasonings to add some flavour to it while still maintaining its nutritious benefits.
Apart from the standard seasoning of salt and pepper, you can soften button and add it to the perfectly cooked quinoa. If there is still some bitterness after cooking it, this mixing in of butter will sweeten its flavour and balance out the sharpness. If you want a vegan solution, you can go for coconut oil.
Garlic powder can be used to make the flavour a little savoury. To add freshness, you can even use fresh garlic after mincing it. Oregano can add a light shade of flavour, too and makes it fragrance amazing.
The choice that will make it completely irresistible is adding cheese as a topping. We can also serve herbs with quinoa and some of the best options are discussed ahead.
Turmeric Spiced Quinoa
A fragrant and delicious way to spice up the quinoa is by using the turmeric spiced quinoa recipe that we will be introducing here.
Start by taking a saucepan and heating two tablespoons of vegetable oil in it. Take one chopped onion, one teaspoon of cumin and mustard seeds and fry it in the oil for two minutes. Add a cup of quinoa which has been properly washed along with a half a teaspoon of grounded turmeric. Mix it well.
Add double the amount of water. Bring the whole mixture to a boil over medium heat. After the first boil, add salt to taste and lower the heat. Cover it and let it simmer for at least fifteen minutes. If quinoa looks too dry, add more water.
When the quinoa is soft and fluffy, add half a cup of peas and cook for a short while. Then take it off the heat and add a half cup of grape tomatoes and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir it all well together. And your turmeric spiced quinoa is ready to be served!
Lemon Basil Quinoa
Yet another way to cook delicious quinoa is by using basil and lemons.
After cooking quinoa with the perfect recipe given in the first part, take another bowl and add one cup of roughly chopped fresh basil in it. Mix it with a quarter cup of olive oil, some salt to taste and 3 lemons’ juice. Mix everything well and set it aside.
When the quinoa is done, uncover the saucepan and add this lemon basil sauce on top of it. Stir it well and serve it fresh.
Coconut Ginger Lime Quinoa
For this recipe, instead of adding in just water when boiling quinoa, also add in coconut milk. For one cup quinoa, use one cup of water and one cup of coconut milk. Cook the quinoa using the same method above: first on medium heat and then on low heat until all liquid has been absorbed.
After it has cooked, add half a teaspoon of grounded ginger, zest from one lime and salt and pepper to taste. Also, add two tablespoons of coconut oil which will melt when it comes in contact with the hot quinoa. After mixing everything, your quinoa it ready!
Conclusion
Quinoa gained immense popularity over the years for being the best health food in the world. The health-gurus and nutritionists recommend it all the time. However, if you do not cook it right, you might not want to have this meal ever again. So, go ahead and bookmark this article and you’ll always have an idea on how to spice up the quinoa!
