Kinúwa (Quinoa) & Kiwicha (Amaranth)

To the Incas, the chisaya mama, literally “mother of all grains,” was quinoa. It’s not difficult to understand why they considered the grainlike seed sacred.

The pre-Columbian crop can survive on its own high up in the altiplano, the frost-covered plains of the Andes, an environment that was too harsh for many other crops—and most people. Kinúwa (keen-u-wa), the Quechua name for quinoa, is still grown by small, native farmers on the altiplano stretching from Peru to Bolivia and down through Chile.

Kiwicha (kee-wee-cha), the Quechua word for “amaranth,” is quinoa’s Aztec cousin, only smaller and a little more tightly wound. The seeds stay closed up when you cook them, as amaranth doesn’t have a sprouting “tail” (the germ of the seed) like quinoa.

Both amaranth and quinoa are “complete” proteins, pretty rare in the plant kingdom. In Peru, the seeds aren’t just something you toss into a salad, but a very versatile ingredient. Think of quinoa and amaranth the next time you reach for rice, as a base for risottos and stir-fries, or added to simple broth soups or chunky stews.

Quinoa Basics

Of the hundreds of varieties of quinoa, only a few are sold commercially. There are subtle flavor and texture differences between each, but all of the dried seeds are interchangeable in almost any recipe. I recommend sticking to one color at a time. Those rainbow packs of white, brown, and red quinoa that you see on some grocery store shelves today are pretty, but each has slightly different cooking times. When you cook them together, the white quinoa may be falling apart by the time the darker-colored seeds are fully cooked.

Puffed quinoa is very different from the dried seeds. It is already cooked and popped, like popcorn, so the seeds get a light, almost rice cracker–like texture. I love it in desserts.

White Quinoa: The most common commercial quinoa is more of an off-white beige color. This is a multipurpose seed that you can really use in anything, from salads to soups to baking. It cooks up to an almost soft, creamy texture.

Red, Brown, and Black Quinoa: Darker-colored seeds usually have a chewier texture than the white seeds, almost like tiny pearls of barley, so they hold their shape better in dishes like stir-fries. Simmer them a minute or two longer than white quinoa. Any of the individually packed colored seeds (typically various shades of brown and red) are usually very good, but I really like red quinoa.

Amaranth Basics

Like quinoa, amaranth seeds are off-white to light brown, but they stay tightly closed when cooked. The seeds are so tiny that they tend to clump together when cooked. That clumpy character can be a good thing, as you get even more texture in each bite. I actually prefer amaranth to quinoa in soups, as the texture is lighter.

How to Cook Quinoa and Amaranth

I’m always surprised when I see recipes that begin by cautioning you to rinse your quinoa or amaranth very well to remove the natural, powdery residue on the seeds that tastes very bitter. I never rinse them. If I had a cooking class high up in the Andes and was using locally harvested seeds, sure, but the quinoa and amaranth available commercially have had the powdery residue washed off, even in bulk market bins in Peru. One of my first kitchen chores when I was around seven years old was to sort through and clean the quinoa and rice that my mom brought home in giant sacks from the market, but not because of any lingering residue. Vendors were notorious for slipping in extra stones to weigh down your order so they could charge more.

Toss in leftover nubs of whatever produce you have around to flavor the seeds. Or, instead of water, cooking the seeds in vegetable or chicken stock is always good. One of my most successful experiments was quinoa cooked with the leftover juice I saved from seeding a big pile of fresh tomatoes. If you’re using the quinoa or amaranth for a dessert, don’t use the seasonings in this recipe. Cook it the simple, Andean way—in a big pot of unseasoned water. For salads and most other dishes, you can let the seeds cool in the strainer. Whenever the seeds need to be drier, like for a stir-fry, spread out the quinoa or amaranth on a baking sheet to cool. And be sure to check in on them occasionally as they simmer. If overcooked, the seeds tend to fall apart and become mushy.

1 Combine the quinoa or amaranth, aromatic vegetables, bay leaf, salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the quinoa until the seeds have sprouted (they will look like they have a little cola, tail) and most of the water has been absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes (amaranth seeds will not sprout). Peek in on the seeds once or twice as they cook, as some batches sprout and absorb the water more quickly. If you are cooking a darker red, brown, or black quinoa, you may need to cook the seeds for a minute or two longer. They should be chewy, but still tender.

2 Strain the quinoa or amaranth (use a fine-mesh strainer to catch the tiny seeds), and swirl a little water in the pan to get the last pieces out. Run your fingers down the vegetables to get all of the seeds off them and discard the vegetables and bay leaf. Let the seeds cool completely in the strainer, or spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate the quinoa or amaranth for up to 5 days.

Makes about 3 cups

CRISPY QUINOA

To make crispy quinoa: Spread out ½ cup to 1 cup cooked quinoa in a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to dry for 10 minutes (it can be just cooked, or precooked and refrigerated). Fill a small saucepan with a solid inch or two of canola or other vegetable oil, and heat the oil for a minute or two, until hot. Remember that you are frying a seed. The oil should be hot, but not at deep-fry temperatures (350°F or more), or the quinoa will burn. Add the quinoa and fry until golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Drain through a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl to catch the oil (reserve the oil to use again, if you like), and spread out the crispy quinoa on paper towels to dry.