White quinoa is well known, but have you ever tried the dark variety? Black quinoa is so healthy!
Black quinoa existed before Burger King invented its first black burger and an Italian cheese factory invented black mozzarella: the special quinoa variety has been cultivated in the Andean highlands for 6,000 years.
Why is black quinoa so healthy?
Quinoa is considered a so-called pseudo-grain – that means it has a lot in common with real grain, but is botanically one of the goosefoot plants and is closely related to spinach, chard, and beetroot.
The pseudo-grain from South America provides a particularly large number of high-quality proteins and essential amino acids, including lysine, which is otherwise found almost exclusively in meat and fish. The relatively high content of iron and magnesium is also beneficial. Unlike real grains, quinoa does not contain gluten and is therefore also suitable for people with sprue (known as celiac disease in children). The oil contained in the seeds consists of around 70 percent unsaturated fatty acids (including omega-3 fatty acids) – good for the cardiovascular system. In addition, quinoa contains a relatively large amount of fiber, so it stimulates digestion and fills you up.
How does black quinoa taste?
Black quinoa tastes intensely nutty and is very firm to the bite. Its hearty aroma goes particularly well with sweet dishes with fruit, vegetables, and curry dishes. Some people find the aroma of black quinoa too strong as a soloist; you can pair it with white quinoa. Black quinoa looks particularly beautiful when prepared as a quinoa salad or as a colorful stir-fry.
How do you prepare black quinoa?
(Basic recipe for 200 grams/ 2 people)
- Bring 2 1/2 times the amount of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add some salt if you like.
- Add the black quinoa and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed. Stir occasionally.
Blogger Simone prepared black quinoa in a slightly different way. She writes on her blog S-Kitchen: “I find this mixture of perfectly normal semolina pudding and black quinoa super tasty. In case you haven’t seen it anywhere: I came up with it quite spontaneously. For this, the quinoa is even cooked according to the instructions, Filled up with milk, and stirred in semolina. I would season it with vanilla and some cinnamon or cardamom.”
Sounds damn tasty. So: Off to the health food store or organic shop and have fun cooking and experimenting with black quinoa!
