ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO QUINOA
KEEN TO CONQUER QUINOA? TRY THESE TRUSTY TECHNIQUES
Quinoa may be a rather recent addition to our plates in the UK but it’s making quite the impact. It is an ingredient often used in place of rice and has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, mainly due to its strong nutritional credentials. Often compared to barley and bulgar wheat, it is in fact free from gluten, meaning it can be a great alternative for those looking for something to add some weight to their meals whilst avoiding gluten.
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
Quinoa may have only recently marched onto the radars of foodies in the UK, but in South America the story is rather different. It has been a staple ingredient in the Inca diet for 5,000 years, mainly because it could be harvested at high altitudes in the Andes. Commonly grown in Bolivia and Peru, it’s a plant that was mostly cultivated by pre- Columbian civilisations, until the Spanish arrived and replaced it with cereals. Before the plant was domesticated, the majority of the plant was used, including the leaves and seeds, whereas in modern cooking it is generally just the seeds which are used.