Denise says:

Quinoa is an extremely unusual ingredient; it is the fruit of a leaf plant and classified as a seed. Originating from South America about 5000 years ago, the Incas people used it as their staple food, followed by potatoes and corn.

Before cooking, it should be thoroughly rinsed in a strainer under running water and drained to remove ‘saponin’ which has a bitter taste. Requiring barely 15 minutes to cook and using a ratio of approximately one part quinoa to 2-3 parts liquid, this is a very healthy quick fix ingredient.

For best results sauté briefly before adding the liquid.



Preparation Time   10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves:   6 people

Ingredients:

360g quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
900ml Hot vegetable or chicken stock
150g fresh or dried dates – stone removed and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley – leaves only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1) Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse well under cold water.
2) Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the quinoa and garlic stirring continuously it starts to become translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
3) Add the stock and dates. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until it is soft.
4) Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and season well.
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