Glancing at a plain bowl of quinoa, one would never deduce that they are looking at an ancient staple food stuff, brimming with nutritional value. But appearances can be deceptive and in this case, they really are. Crammed full of minerals, vitamins and proteins, the rather bland looking little grains require less cooking time than rice and also offer a myriad of health benefits. Available around the city, the little seed with a fancy name is easier to incorporate than one might expect.
Contrary to popular belief, quinoa is not a cereal. Classified as chenopodium (an annual herbaceous flowering plant), the pseudocereal crop comes from the same family as spinach and beetroot. Once the plant is harvested, it is processed to remove the very bitter tasting saponin (skin). Although what we eat are the seeds of the plant, most people do refer to it as a grain.
There is evidence to suggest that the crop was being used by man over 7,000 years ago. It can be traced to the Andean region of South America, and was regularly harvested by the Incas, who hailed it as chisaya maya, meaning ‘mother of all grains’. One of the reasons it was revered was due to its high nutritional value, and since the Incas harvested it themselves, it afforded them a very sustainable lifestyle.
Quinoa is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron and some vitamins. It is gluten free and noted as a source of complete protein. Its nutritional value is so high in comparison to other grains that NASA is currently evaluating it as a possible sustainable life support system. Even the United Nations has declared 2013 as the ‘year of quinoa’, in honour of its benefits.
Eaten on its own, many people might complain that it is rather bland. However, an equal number of people are fans of its rather faint nutty taste. Still a non-believer?
Why not give one of our simple but scrumptious recipes a try at home.
Dining in
Should you fancy trying this ancient and healthy plant, it is fairly easy to purchase in Abu Dhabi at any major food retailer. Preparation is exactly the same as rice, however quinoa, brilliantly, takes less time to cook.
Warm salad of roasted cauliflower and quinoa
Ingredients:
½ large cauliflower (approx 350g)
½ cup quinoa
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
Large handful of bocconcini cheese, cut into bite-size pieces
Preparation:
1 Preheat the oven to 200C.
2 Chop up the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Place in a roasting dish, drizzle olive oil and seasoning.
3 Roast, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is golden all around the edges.
4 Rinse quinoa well and place in a medium saucepan with 1 cup water and the tomato paste.
5 Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed.
6 Season.
7 Serve on a warm plate, mixing the quinoa with the cauliflower, cheese and chives.
Quinoa with pesto
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water or vegetable broth
Large handful fresh spinach
¼ cup prepared vegetarian pesto
½ tsp fresh lemon or lime juice
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Preparation:
1 Simmer quinoa in vegetable broth or water, covered, for 10-12 minutes, until the quinoa is almost cooked.
2 Mix in the fresh spinach and heat for 3-4 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the quinoa is fully cooked.
3 Remove from heat. Stir in the pesto, drizzle with lime juice and season.
4 Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can also add the sun-dried tomatoes if you want a bit of kick.
Dining Out
If you prefer sampling the dish before cooking it at home, there are many spots around town that serve it.
Shakespeare & Co: The quinoa and grilled vegetable salad at this venue comes in a very generous portion and is nearly impossible to finish. Although mixed with grilled vegetables, the taste of the dish is a bit bland and could use more dressing.
Central Market Mall (02 639 9626), Al Muroor (02 491 7673).
Left Bank: One of the healthier choices on the menu, the quinoa salad comes with baby spinach leaves, pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds. The salad is quite fresh and not doused in too much dressing, making it a pleasant and enjoyable meal.
Souk Qaryat Al Beri (02 558 1680).
The One: Definitely one of the best we’ve sampled! The quinoa, feta and onion salad at The One is complemented by just the right dressing of oil and lemon. Hearty enough to be a main course, this dish will keep you satisfied without making you sluggish. An excellent option for a healthy lunch or a light dinner.
Al Khalidiyah (02 681 6500).
