An INTroJect Culinary Invention: Couscous and Quinoa

[INTroJect]

Incan sacred crop meets up with North African Plebeian chow.
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Ingredients
Buy 4 Lb Quinoa bag at Cosco for $9.99
Buy 25 Lb bag of Couscous at local warehouse distributor for $29.75
Glass microwave dish, that regular big bowl thing with lid, whatever you call it.
Salt, pepper, olive oil

Instructions
Add 1 cup of Quinoa to glass dish thing, fill it up with water to the top
Dump some Kosher Salt, pepper, and cover
Cook in microwave on high for 20 minutes
You know the Quinoa is cooked when its springs pop out
Then, while its still hot, pour enough Couscous into dish to absorb the excess water. Mix it around or you end up with a Couscous/Quinoa layered cake. Let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes.

I like to dump a lot of Olive oil in it. Its good under stir fry, black beans, or Lentails with spinach. Would probably also be a good with most saucy, non-cheese based, chicken dishes.

[rbc]

Buy 25 Lb bag of Couscous at local warehouse distributor for $29.75

:stunned: Twenty-five pounds! How long does it take to eat that much couscous? :suspicious: I mean, I like the stuff, but even if you had two cups of it every single day... :thinking:

[INTroJect]

:stunned: Twenty-five pounds! How long does it take to eat that much couscous? :suspicious: I mean, I like the stuff, but even if you had two cups of it every single day... :thinking:

Ha. And I bought 2 bags of it. If the world falls apart, at least I will still have couscous.

[Silverity]

I have recently delved into the realm of quinoa myself since it's an awesome way to get more protein. Got a question though: I bought black quinoa, are there any subtle flavour differences between black, red and white varieties?

[INTroJect]

I have recently delved into the realm of quinoa myself since it's an awesome way to get more protein. Got a question though: I bought black quinoa, are there any subtle flavour differences between black, red and white varieties?

Hmm. I thought I was the in-house INTJf Quinoa expert, but I have no idea. It looks like we are going to have to split the duties. Ill be the white quinoa expert, because that is all that I have ever had, and you can be the black quinoa expert.

[Nemtriosk]

I haven't tried black ever, but I've always though red was a little more sweet and less floury than the white.

Recipe wise, that looks pretty good. A lot of the time I mix it with a few other grains too, which helps create a good variety of flavor, like barley, millet, oats, etc. I've tried it with a few chicken recipes, and have to agree it's really good like that too.

There are Two things you didn't exactly mention, but I think are really good. I've tried it as a curry base, have some small vegetables, peas, finely diced peppers, onions, and a robustly flavoured curry spice, it's really good.

The other's harder, but really worth it: pastries. Anything that doesn't need gluten (anything that's not really stretchy, like cookies, squares and muffins) can be enhanced by using quinoa instead of flour. You have to mill it of course, and adjust the volume to absorb the moisture content, but I'd say it's worth it. Made some orange bars, with chocolate chips and lemon squares....really good. The orange and quinoa I think really compliment each other. It doesn't always work, but really tasty never the less.

[plotthickens]

I have recently delved into the realm of quinoa myself since it's an awesome way to get more protein. Got a question though: I bought black quinoa, are there any subtle flavour differences between black, red and white varieties?

Yes, there are. Cook them side-by-side and taste. :)

I find black q hulls a little harder.


Bring 8 cups water to the boil.

While that's heating, lay out:

1/2 C onions + 1 C chopped ham (optional)
1 C of beans
1 C of rice (I prefer 'field harvest', which is a mixed bag assorted)
1 C quinoa


Quinoa takes about 10 - 15 mins on the stove, so work backward to figure out your time intervals for additions.
Lug in the onions, wait for the water to re-boil
Add beans and everything else in order and on time
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional additions:

2 or 3 grated carrots at the end
1/2 cabbage head near the end
1 C ham with the onions in the beginning
Flaxseed

Delicious, balanced, ridiculously healthy breakfast for 2 or 3 for a week.