[tri-med] Re: What Quinoa Is

Quinoa -- Mother Grain of the Incas
by Beverly Cox & Martin Jacobs

One of the most sacred foods of the ancient Incas of South 
America was quinoa, a plant so nourishing, delicious, and 
vital they called it chesiya mama, the Mother Grain. Each 
year the Incan emperor, using a golden spade, planted the 
first quinoa seeds of the season, and at the solstice, 
priests bearing golden vessels filled with quinoa made 
offerings to Inti, The Sun.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa or kee-noo-ah) is a broad-leafed, 
annual herb that grows wild and which has also been cultivated 
for thousands of years in the Andes. When mature, this tall, 
handsome plant is topped with large plume-like seed heads that 
range in color from vivid red, orange or yellow to black or 
white. Before being eaten, quinoa seeds must be processed to 
remove their bitter coating of saponin. After washing or dry 
polishing, the ready-to-cook seeds are white or beige in color. 
Quinoa's spinach-like leaves and its seeds are highly nutritious. 
The leaves, which unfortunately seldom reach the consumer, may 
be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach. They are high in 
Vitamin A. The more readily available seeds are rich in protein, 
high in fiber, and particularly rich in the amino acid Iysine. 
Quinoa seeds are also good sources of calcium, phosphorus, and 
Vitamins B and E.

Cooked quinoa is delicious and extremely versatile because it 
may be used in the place of almost any other grain, including 
rice, to make everything from appetizers to desserts. You can 
even substitute it in your favorite recipe for rice pudding!

Why then is quinoa, unlike the other Inca "wonder foods" maize 
and potatoes, so little known outside of South America? This 
question has never been answered, but one theory is that the 
Spaniards who carried maize and potatoes back to Europe in the 
sixteenth century may have tasted quinoa that had not been 
properly processed and therefore failed to realize its potential.

Fortunately, the skillful Native American farmers of the Andes 
continued to cultivate quinoa and, thus, presented this ancient 
"supergrain" for the modern world. Until the 1980s, quinoa was 
virtually unknown in North America. Much of the credit for its 
introduction goes to the late Dave Cusack, a Colorado native.

In 1984, Cusack and two partners began to import quinoa from 
South America. He had a clear vision of uniting the indigenous 
peoples of North and South America through cooperation in 
growing quinoa.

With this aim in mind, he began to explore the possibilities of 
growing quinoa in the high, arid regions of the United States. 
Cusack's dream has not yet been realized, but today, with the 
support of Colorado State University and the research of Dr. 
John McCamant and his dedicated staff at White Mountain Farm in
Mosca, Colorado, both white quinoa and a delicious hybrid of wild 
and cultivated varieties, sold as "black," quinoa are grown 
organically in the high elevations of the San Luis Valley. Thanks 
in large part to these efforts, quinoa is becoming increasingly 
familiar to consumers and available in both health food stores 
and supermarkets. 

QUINOA (THE BASIC RECIPE)

1 cup quinoa 
2 cups water 
Before they are processed by washing or dry polishing, quinoa 
seeds are covered with a saponin which has a bitter taste. Remove 
any saponin residue by rinsing quinoa thoroughly with cold water 
before cooking. Drain excess water. Place quinoa and water in a 
1/2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover 
and cook until all of the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). 
You will know that the quinoa is done when all the grains have 
turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has 
separated. Makes 3 cups. 
The recipe that follows, Quinoa con Queso, is adapted from one 
included in a recipe booklet distributed by the Central de 
Cooperatives Agropecuarias, "Operacion Tierra" Ltda in Southern 
Bolivia. The cooperative is located in a dry, cool area of salt 
flats at an elevation of 10,000 feet. The average yearly rainfall 
is only ten inches, and quinoa is the only agricultural crop. 
Operacion Tierra was formed to promote quinoa and puts on an 
annual quinoa festival. Quinoa con Queso combines two of the most 
important crops of the High Andes -- potatoes and quinoa -- along 
with tomatoes, onions, and chile. 

QUINOA CON QUESO 


1 cup quinoa, washed and drained 
1 cup light cream or unsweetened evaporated milk 
1 pound potatoes, preferably gold, purple, and red varieties 
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil 
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves) 
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 
1 to 2 peeled and seeded mild green chiles, chopped or 1 4-ounce 
  can mild green chiles 
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or Italian parsley 
8-ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar 
  cheese 
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Cook quinoa in 2 cups of cold water following basic recipe. When 
done, stir in cream and set aside. Meanwhile, in a separate 
saucepan boil potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender. 
Peel and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a large deep skillet over 
medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and sautee 
until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, chiles, and cilantro. Add quinoa mixture 
and diced potatoes to skillet and fold together gently. Season to 
taste with salt and pepper. Either fold in all of cheese and heat 
and serve quinoa directly from skillet, or fold in half of cheese, 
transfer mixture to a shallow buttered 8-cup baking dish and top 
with remaining cheese. If serving in a baking dish, heat in 
preheated 350 F. oven for about 20 minutes until casserole is 
bubbling and cheese on top is melted. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

To order organically grown quinoa and potatoes in a rainbow 
assortment of colors, contact:

White Mountain Farm
8890 Lane 4 North
Mosca, CO 81146
1 (800) 364-3019.
                      
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