When you take stock of your life, you often start to appreciate the things you’ve taken for granted. At thirteen thousand feet above sea level, I had a moment like that. Walking over Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail, heading to Machu Picchu, I began to feel really lucky to have had such a great tomato soup for lunch. And I felt grateful for good shoes, butter, duct tape, and thick, juicy, oxygen-drenched air. Usually such moments of deep appreciation are followed quickly by profound sorrow for those who cannot enjoy the things I love, like people who are compelled to buy fat-free cheese or those who shun the WB. I often feel bad for people who can’t (gluten issues) or won’t (carbo-phobia) enjoy a tasty hunk of bread, and I find myself wishing they could have been up on that Peruvian mountain pass with me—not just so that I could playfully dangle them off a precipice, but so they could see that the answer to their happiness lay at my feet.
Quinoa is the next big thing. Beyond being fun to say (KEEN-wah), this diminutive, disc-shaped grain has restaurant industry insiders and foodies all atwitter. Remember when everyone was gushing over heirloom tomatoes, and then later it was Meyer lemon this and Meyer lemon that? Quinoa is on the cusp of becoming the next “it” ingredient. (Charlie Trotter? Already a fan.) What’s funny is how this newcomer to the American food scene is not new at all. In fact, the renaissance of quinoa will be rooted in growing traditions that date back seven thousand years to pre-Incan villages high in the Andes.
In Quechua, the Incan language that is still spoken today, quinoa is known as chisiya mama, or “mother grain.” Incan emperors planted the first quinoa seeds of each season with a ceremonial golden spade, and the solstice was marked with offerings to Inti (the Sun) of golden chalices overflowing with quinoa.
In fact, the very sacredness of this nourishing, vital, and versatile plant, capable of growing wild in adverse conditions, may explain why it was “lost” for hundreds of years. When Pizarro and the Spanish overtook the Incan civilization, they found not only treasures of gold, but also the riches of a structured agricultural system centered on three staples: corn, potatoes, and quinoa. Spanish rule required the suppression of much local culture, and historians speculate that marginalizing the mother grain was a political tactic to dishearten the Incas. While the Spanish moved much of the food production to the lower valleys, where European livestock could flourish along with the more popular corn and potato crops, the production of quinoa was left to the remote villages and peasants at high altitudes. Like many peasant foods, the grain came to have a social stigma that it is only just beginning to shed.
Quinoa is not a true cereal grain like wheat, but rather a fruit in the chenopodium family. The plant is an annual herb that can grow from three to six feet in height, with its seeds clustered at the end of the stalk. Although the leaves are edible, the nutritional profile and versatility of the seeds make them the “superfood,” one that supplies nearly all life-sustaining nutrients. Quinoa is much higher in protein than other grains, offering roughly twice the amount found in barley, corn, rice, and some forms of wheat. And it’s high-quality protein, with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal. High in fiber; rich in iron and calcium, vitamins and phosphorus; tolerated by most who are allergic to cereal grains—this is the little grain that could. Its carbohydrates even fall into the “good” (low glycemic-index) camp.
Equally important as the nutritional benefits is the survivalist nature of this plant. Unlike most food crops, quinoa thrives on low rainfall, high altitudes, thin, cold air, hot sun, subfreezing temperatures, and even sandy, alkaline soil. In fact, in 1983 a drought in Bolivia caused a widespread loss in potato and barley crops, but there was nary a blip in quinoa production. Some areas even produced record yields. Quinoa also produces its own pesticide: saponin, a bitter-tasting resin coating the grains, which must be thoroughly washed off before eating. Some say this laborious process has hindered the marketing and acceptance of quinoa, but others argue that saponin effectively repels birds and insects and is far preferable to insecticides.
Recent projects have helped to bring quinoa and the families that grow it back from the brink. In central Ecuador, the Heirloom Quinoa project is working to produce indigenous varieties with a superior flavor, like the quinoa of the ancient Incas. Inca Organics is the Chicago-based importer that has helped to reawaken the spirit of quinoa and revitalize communities and families that take part in preserving their traditions. Inca Organics’ whole-grain and flour products are available locally at Lunds and Byerly’s, under the Bob’s Red Mill label.
Now that you’re happily on the quinoa trail, where can it take you? Sure, quinoa is nutritious and hardy—but the true beauty of this little grain is its adaptability. As a flour, quinoa brings a tender, moist crumb to most baked goods and can be substituted for nearly any grain in most every recipe. A bag of whole-grain quinoa is just the ticket to further spark your creativity. It can be prepared like risotto with stock, yielding a soft and un-gummy dish. You can eat it sweet (like a rice pudding) or savory (as tabbouleh with herbs).
The soft, slightly nutty flavor of this grain finds companions in many dishes and ingredients. For a prime example, check out the lobster and quinoa entrée offered at Cosmos, in which the supergrain gently supports the flavorful butter-poached lobster, giving the dish a sense of both the earthy and the ethereal. It’s only a matter of time before you see quinoa popping up on other fashionable menus. And once people start preaching the quinoa ethos, you will calmly nod in agreement, as your Incan spirit has already been well-nourished.
Basic Quinoa
• 1 cup quinoa (whole grains)
• 2 cups water
If you’re using Bob’s Red Mill quinoa, you are good to go. With other brands, be sure to thoroughly rinse the grains to remove the bitter saponin. Bring quinoa and water to boil in a saucepan. Reduce to
a simmer, cover, and cook until all water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). The grains will “uncoil” and turn translucent.
Tips:
• For a nuttier taste, toast the quinoa in a hot, dry pan before cooking.
• For an earthier taste, use mushroom stock instead of water.
• Prepare basic recipe, then sauté with leeks and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.
• For baking, stir in cream, press the mixture into a baking dish, top with pesto and Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.
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