If your quinoa still tastes
Well, if you're one of those people who thinks quinoa tastes like soap or grass after you've cooked, that's a sign. Or, if you've noticed that you have an upset stomach or something of that nature after you eat quinoa, that's another sign. All you should have to do is just rinse it before you cook it.
Rinse it under cold running water. At first, the water will be white-ish, but as you let it run it will get clear. This takes about 30-45 seconds. Drain quinoa fully.
Mistake 3: You overcook it.
You want to remove the lid from your pan and let the quinoa continue to cook in the residual heat so that it can absorb the liquid, rather than overcooking and sacrificing the quinoa's texture, rendering it mushy and flavorless.
As you may or may not know, quinoa needs to be rinsed with cold water before cooking it. This simple process will help get rid of the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that coats the tiny seeds; if you don't do it, it's going to taste wrong and you'll never want to use this ancient power food again in your diet.
Soaking quinoa in water may help to lower its phytic acid content, and at the same time, it may also help to remove the saponin found in its natural coating. (This can give quinoa a bitter taste.) Quinoa can be soaked in fresh water for as little as 2 hours, or you can leave it soaking in water in the fridge overnight.
Some people are particularly sensitive to saponins, which is why unrinsed cooked quinoa has a reputation for tasting bitter. However, most quinoa that is sold in packages has been "pre-rinsed," which means the saponins have been removed and rinsing isn't necessary.
Here's the trick for perfectly fluffy quinoa: Use twice as much water as quinoa, as usual, then cook uncovered until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. The cooking time will vary based on quantity. Once the water is all absorbed, remove the pot from heat, cover it and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes.
Transfer quinoa to a medium pot with water (or broth) and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until quinoa is tender and a white "tail" appears around each grain, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.
Stay vigilant: Stir the grains constantly to avoid burning, watching for that perfect golden moment, around 6 to 8 minutes. Water is this grain's go-to companion, but other liquids–think low-sodium chicken, mushroom or vegetable broth–add flavor.
Ethanol and methanol are still considered the best solvents for the extraction of saponins because of their high solubilization properties. In a study by Gee et al. (1993), methanol was found to be the most efficient solvent with which to extract saponin.
When you start with 1 cup of dry quinoa, your quinoa should completely absorb the water in about 15 minutes. A sign that it's almost ready: The quinoa should get fluffy, and the little tail-like bits (they're endosperms, by the way) will start to pull away from the seed.
Why rinse quinoa? Rinsing removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy. Although boxed quinoa is often pre-rinsed, it doesn't hurt to give the seeds an additional rinse at home.
Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.
Fats and sweetness can help smooth the bitter corners of a dish, just like they make coffee taste less bitter. So add a spoonful of sugar, cream or butter to tame that bitterness.
It has a bitter soapy quality that is sometimes mistaken for dirt. The best way to remove the taste is to run your quinoa under water “in a fine mesh sieve for at least a minute, moving the quinoa around with your fingers until the water runs clean.”
It all comes down to texture. Add too little water and your grains may burn on the bottom of the pot before they cook through. Add too much water and you'll end up with soggy, overcooked, and mushy grains.
The basic ratio is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups liquid. You can use water (season it with a bit of kosher salt), or you can use any kind of broth (we like to use low-sodium broths and add any extra salt to the finished dish as needed). You can also add a bit of dry white wine to the liquid for another layer of flavor.
Combine the quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
If you want 2 cups of cooked quinoa, measure out 2/3 cup of dry quinoa, etc. To cook the quinoa, you will use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, or 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of dry quinoa.
I dip my finger into the pot and touch the top of the quinoa seeds. The water level should go up to the first crease on your finger, and that's how much water you need to cook quinoa perfectly every time. Turn on your rice cooker… and BOOM, that's it.
Eating raw quinoa is not recommended as it may cause digestive discomfort. I recommend cooking quinoa as directed below, although you may want to experiment with how to make puffed quinoa.
Quinoa and rice are comparable in terms of calories and fiber content. They're both nutritious ingredients that can complement a well-rounded diet, but quinoa has the edge. It is a complete protein, while brown rice only contains a few of the essential amino acids.
(Avoid soaking quinoa, however, as saponins can leach into the seeds.) After rinsing, place quinoa and water in a covered pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the grains become translucent and the germ appears as a thin white ring around each grain.