Quinoa can be eaten raw or uncooked if it is first soaked and sprouted, but some experts advise that quinoa should always be cooked, not consumed as a raw sprout . It is equally nutritious in sprout form, but cooking may be a safer and more versatile way to include it in your diet.
Sprouting is easy although you have to be patient for those little sprouts to grow. Here are the steps to make about 2 cups of sprouted quinoa: Rinse 1 – 1.5 cups of quinoa thoroughly with cold water . Place the quinoa into a 1-quart mason jar. Fill this jar to the top with more cold water.
Sprouting and soaking also decrease the level of phytic acid, an enzyme inhibitor, that can block absorption of vitamins and minerals, and can cause poor digestion and disruption of healthy gut bacteria. Sprouting is easy although you have to be patient for those little sprouts to grow. Here are the steps to make about 2 cups of sprouted quinoa:.
How to cook quinoa in a pan?
Once the soapy residue is off strain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve then rinse the quinoa with fresh water and set aside. Now get a big heavy saute pan (I used a 12″ stainless steel pan) and heat it up on medium low. Put one cup of the wet quinoa into the saute pan (anymore and it will be over crowded).
You’ll know it’s is done because it will look like it has popped open , revealing the germ of the kernel. Is it OK to eat undercooked quinoa? Quinoa can be eaten raw or uncooked if it is first soaked and sprouted, but some experts advise that quinoa should always be cooked, not consumed as a raw sprout.
Should quinoa be rinsed before cooking?
“Quinoa seeds are covered in saponin,” explains Slater, “a soap-like coating that protects them from insects. You should always rinse your quinoa .” Chef Alex Homenides of Athenian Greek Taverna agrees. “Personally, I only rinse quinoa before cooking it. Soaking the quinoa is unnecessary and can ‘sog down’ your end product.
This begs the query “Do I need to soak quinoa flakes before eating?”
The quinoa flakes in my local store say they need cooking , unlike grain flakes which can be eaten raw. I’d soak the flakes first if I wanted to eat them raw … but then why not buy the whole seeds and soak them, they’re cheaper and presumably fresher as the insides haven’t been exposed to air.
Rinsing removes quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Although boxed quinoa is often pre-rinsed , it doesn’t hurt to give the seeds an additional rinse at home.
Much of the quinoa that is sold in the States is pre-washed before it’s packaged (brands often slap the term “pre-washed” on the bag itself). But that’s a little misleading. “It’s often not washed with water,” Speck says. Rather, the quinoa has “undergone an abrasion process” that removes the saponin.
Why does quinoa taste so bad?
The whole debate started thanks to saponin, a naturally occurring chemical that coats every tiny grain of quinoa. It’s there for good reason— to ward off insects —but it has a strong, unpleasant taste. Rinsing the quinoa gets rid of the saponin and thus its bitter flavor—great.
When cooked, quinoa benefits from a light, nutty flavor and is very versatile. The Whole Grain Council suggests using it in salads, as a base for veggie burgers, in soups or in breads, cookies and bars. Quinoa can be used as a breakfast cereal in place of oats, too.
Raw quinoa cannot be digested properly and its undigested starches are likely to cause you gastrointestinal discomfort . Raw quinoa is covered by a substance called saponin, a toxic soap-like substance that can bind with some of the minerals you eat, preventing them from being absorbed, according to “Nutrition Research.”.