Hey quinoa cookers - does this recipe look right to you?

[cruelshoes]

I saw this recipe in a magazine I got at the health food store yesterday. I am copying the whole thing over in case I am missing something. I've read it over a dozen times, and it seems like there's a step missing.

It looks like I am not supposed to cook the quinoa, only toast it. Could that be right? I have not tried to cook whole quinoa before, i've only used the the flour.

Quinoa, wild rice and carrot salad

SALAD
2 1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup lightly toasted cashews

DRESSING
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add salt and wild rice. Bring to a second boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

While the rice cooks, heat a heavy skillet and dry-roast the quinoa until lightly toasted. Wild rice is done then the light interior bursts the grain open and is exposed. Remove grains from heat and let them sit 5 minutes before fluffing.

Blend carrots with lemon juice. Mix the carrots and scallions with the whole grains. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl. Blend the vinaigretteinto the salad and refrigerate until readu to serve. Just before serving blend in parsley and cashews.

(C) Debra Daniels-Zeller 1992
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Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
10-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters (12 and 2) have neg. bloodwork

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[The Edifying Conscience]

I've never seen a recipe that cooks quinoa simply by toasting it. Seems odd to me. I think you're right it's missing a much needed step. I would cook the quinoa on its own and then combine the rice with it when the rice is done. Make sure to rinse the quinoa well before you toast it or else it will have a bitter taste.

Here are the quinoa cooking directions from the quinoa taboulleh recipe I posted a while ago. I've changed the measurements to the amount of quinoa you need in your recipe.

Rinse the 1 cup quinoa well in cool water and drain. Bring the quinoa, 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (The outer germ rings of the grain will remain chewy and white. Some germ rings may separate from the grains and will look like white squiggles.) Immediately fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn out onto a baking sheet to cool.

tec

[cherbabe]

i agree w/ TEC on the toasted quinoa comment. i eat quinoa almost every night - and key to eating it is --- it is not done until it goes from that off white/tan color to an almost clear color. that could never be obtained from toasting it. it is cooked just like you would cook rice, except it cooks faster than rice. to me, that would seem as bizzarre as a recipe that called for toasting rice - it would be rock hard, and do a number on your intestines

hope this helps a little...
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[lorka]

yes, you can eat quinoa like that - it's toasted (or roasted) and eaten like 'popcorn' in that sense.
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[mrsppmrxky]

[lorka]

as i re-read the initial recipe, i would add the quinoa to the cooked rice (post toasting) and let it all sit together. the toasting is also used to enhance the flavour, in general, so i would use it two-fold for your recipe.

mrsppmrxky - for the rinsing aspect, that would depend on the brand of quinoa. i buy pre-rinsed, and have never had a bitter taste.in general. i've seen similar things relating quinoa and amaranth, and have tried 'toasting' both, with better results from the amaranth - the quinoa seems a little undigested later on. basically - dry heat, salt, pepper in a skillet (like when you are toasting nuts).
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[Andean1]

The recipe indicates way too much water for just a 1/2 cup of rice. The 2 1/2 cups are for the quinoa as well. It's supposed to boil for 15'

The confusion comes from the recommended toasting of the quinoa. You can toast it until it gets a slight shade browner, and smells a little more nutty. This brings out the taste of quinoa. It also makes it flufflier.

Quinoa can also be popped, much like popcorn. It then can be used as a cereal or in salads. Red quinoa is best for popping. In Bolivia it's the only one used for popping.

[ariel2006]

Yes,you are right. There are a couple of ways to cook Quinoa.
There are more recipes and preparation instructions at http://quinoa.iuhu.com.ar/