Quinoa---In search of substitute for a variety of healthy grains: Part 1

Have you heard of Quinoa?? It's only when I have been searching for more variety of healthy grains which I can substitute rice with, that I come across this grain. It is actually a seed. You can check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa on how it looks like and it's origin. You can also refer to http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice for all the benefits of eating this grain. 

This is the packet of quinoa I bought at a supermarket. You can usually find it in the organic or health food sections. I hope that I can still find this in Singapore. I began to experiment cooking it after watching Giada at foodnetwork using it to make salads. I think it is a good substitute for rice. It is a healthy option and it keeps you full too. I think vegetarians  can try to eat this as it contains a pretty high protein content. The best part is you can cook this in the rice cooker!

It is "love at first taste" when I try quinoa! It smells like cooked green bean when cooked. It has a nutty flavour. And I like the 口感 when I bite into it. If you like the feeling of it "bursting" in your mouth, you will like quinoa. It just feel like when you eat the fish roe on sushi, it pops when you bite into it but without the juice. But you must not overcooked it, if not it will not have the "bursting" effect.

This is the first dish I cooked with quinoa. It is actually a salad. The little seed like thing you see in the picture is quinoa when cooked. I have baked the salmon for this salad. You can use the can ones if you are too lazy. For the salad vegetables you can add in any type you like. For the dressing you can use mayo or thousand island. For me I make my own. 

Ingredients:

1) 1 piece of salmon 

2) Romaine lettuce washed and dry cut into chunks

3) Half a cucumber cut into chunks

4) 1 stalk of green onions julienned 

5) 1/4 cup of quinoa

6) 1 garlic minced

7) 1 small shallot minced

8) 1/2 cup chicken stock

9) Juice  of half a lemon

10) 2 tablespoon of olive oil

11) 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

12) Black pepper

Steps:

1) Seasoned the salmon with some salt and black pepper. Bake it in a preheated oven of 350F for 10 minutes or until cooked. When  it is cooked, cut it into big pieces. Set aside

2) Cook the quinoa in a rice cooker with the chicken stock. Cook it according to the package instructions. For mine the ratio of quinoa to water is 1:2. Cook it like normal rice in the rice cooker. When cooked fluff it like cooked rice. And set aside.

3) Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, black pepper and garlic well.

4) In a lage bowl, add in the salmon, lettuce, cucumber,green onions, shallot and quinoa. Than pour in the salad dressing. Mix them well and you can enjoy your salad!