Cooking quinoa

[heatherp]

Hi
I'm wheat free so eat a lot of quinoa.

Went to cook some red quinoa in the basket of the thermomix and found that a lot falls through the slots. Also a lot gets stuck in the slots.  Seems very wasteful.

Any suggestions?  I thought maybe putting the quinoa inside a nut milk bag.  I'm wondering if I will have the same problem with basmati rice too as that is quite narrow as well.

Thanks

[faffa_70]

Hi Heatherp 

I don't have any problems cooking basmatti rice in the basket. I have cooked quinoa and don't recall a problem (but then again that doesn't mean there wasn't one...just I don't remember it lol)

I think there has been a couple of discussions about quinoa on the forum (but not dedicated threads) I will see what I can find for you.

[Gralke]

I once read of "steaming the washed quinoa for 25 minutes in the varoma tray" with varoma temperature....... supposed to work well.

[quirkycooking]

I weigh the quinoa into my Thermoserver (just sit it on the top of the bowl), then cover it with boiling water and put the lid on and leave to sit for an hour or more.  I rinse it in a strainer (to get rid of the saponins), then tip it into the Varoma tray, poke a hole in the middle, and steam it for about 20 mins, stirring it once during the cooking time to make sure it steams evenly.  That seems to work for me. 

Oh, I also cook it in the bowl sometimes; for example, when I make Mexican Quinoa (like Spanish rice, only it's quinoa).

[heatherp]

Thanks for the feedback. 

I just did an experiment and found that unsoaked quinoa of any colour will fall through the slots on both the basket and the top varoma tray.  Red quinoa is a smaller grain than white - black is even smaller again.  Red also doesn't need soaking as the red and black quinoa don't have the saponin coating.

I am a time poor cook (shift worker and unorganised!) so don't always have the option of soaking my quinoa - that's one of the many reasons why I eat the red one - has much more flavour too.

Basmati rice is fine in the basket.

Thanks for the idea about steaming the quinoa in the varoma.  I think I'll try that next but put it inside a nut milk bag so I don't lose any.

And Yes Please quirkycooking to the Mexican quinoa recipe. 

[quirkycooking]

I was also wondering if it would work to line the Varoma with wet baking paper and put the quinoa on that?  Maybe...

[heatherp]

I was also wondering if it would work to line the Varoma with wet baking paper and put the quinoa on that?  Maybe...

Yes it probably would work like that too.  I'm looking for convenience and sustainability when I'm suggesting using a nut milk bag.  I could put the quinoa in, rinse in the bag, flatten the bag on the varoma tray then just invert the bag at the end of cooking time.  Rinse and dry bag ready for next use. 

Just a thought.  Needs testing.  There aren't  any  health issues with steaming a muslin nut milk bag are there?

[quirkycooking]

There aren't  any  health issues with steaming a muslin nut milk bag are there?

I wouldn't think so - people use them for making steamed puddings, don't they?

[heatherp]

Ha ha. Shows you how much I know  I've never made a steamed pudding 

[Tebasile]

I cook  100g quinoa ( washed and drained in a fine-mesh strainer)  with 300g water for 14-15min / 100*C/ speed 1 in the TM-Bowl.

[quirkycooking]

That's probably the easiest way!

[heatherp]

I cook  100g quinoa ( washed and drained in a fine-mesh strainer)  with 300g water for 14-15min / 100*C/ speed 1 in the TM-Bowl.

Thankyou guru Tabasile.  It always pays to employ the KISS principle.!!!   I half wondered about doing it this way but being a newbie, doubted myself and followed the book.

[andiesenji]

You can buy triple cheesecloth - or butter muslin, by the meter from (I think it is Cheeselinks) a cheesemaking supply. 
A friend from Oz who visited me here last year makes cheese and told me she buys from that supplier as they sell in small quantities.

Making your own liners would seem to me to be the best answer.  I make a lot of cheese and buy my butter muslin several yards (US measurement) at a time.  I find many uses for it. 

[gertbysea]

You could always just use a tea towel for lining.

Gretchen

[Tebasile]

That's probably the easiest way!

I think too. I cook teff the same way.

Thankyou guru Tabasile.  It always pays to employ the KISS principle.!!!   I half wondered about doing it this way but being a newbie, doubted myself and followed the book.

You're welcome heatherp  . I like your idea with the nutmilk bag