What's with Quinoa

[Old Grumpy]

My millenial offspring tell me this is the bees knees and laugh when I call it kwinoa, telling me it is pronounced keenois.

For various reasons we tried some tonight, with Moroccan chicken and salad...

... all I can say is: 'kinoa tastes 'kin awful!

What am I missing here?

OG

[teamsaint]

My millenial offspring tell me this is the bees knees and laugh when I call it kwinoa, telling me it is pronounced keenois.

For various reasons we tried some tonight, with Moroccan chicken and salad...

... all I can say is: 'kinoa tastes 'kin awful!

What am I missing here?

OG

The kids are on the wind up, OG, you have got the pronunciation spot on........

Bit meh though, isnt it ? I prefer couscous, and I’m not all that fussed about that. You can get some nice colour quinoa that at least looks pretty though.

{ when we are in Waitrose, you know, first shopping day after payday, Mrs TS insists on me using the mispronunciation that your kids use.......)

[Old Grumpy]

The kids are on the wind up, OG, you have got the pronunciation spot on........

Bit meh though, isnt it ? I prefer couscous, and I’m not all that fussed about that. You can get some nice colour quinoa that at least looks pretty though.

{ when we are in Waitrose, you know, first shopping day after payday, Mrs TS insists on me using the mispronunciation that your kids use.......)

Spot on TS!

And, I did buy it it Waitrose (and Partners). Not sure if it was part of their Essential range, though.

OG

[muzzer]

You’ve got the pronunciation right. Imho it’s of use only if you’re trying to lose weight. You add fruit or veg to a bowl, plus something to add taste, chilli sauce or the like. After a week of that you’ll have consumed very few calories and nil fat. If you haven’t expired of boredom.

[Pulcinella]

A fair few recipes here:

https://www.foodandwine.com/grains/quinoa/quinoa-recipes?

But, as muzzer and ts suggest, using the adjective 'tasty' to describe anything with quinoa in is probably against the trades description act, in my experience!

[jayne lee wilson]

I had the red quinoa GF pasta for a bit. It wasn't terrible, but...... it wasn't pasta...
Still, it served its purpose (heavily wine-sauced, buttered and garlicked) when the IBS was a little rampant...

Rushed gratefully back asap into the comforting arms of fresh egg fettuccine and tortellini - which for some reason is a little hard to find just now....

[Dave2002]

I think chia seeds may be similar, though perhaps more nutritious. We had some of those a few weeks ago - mixed with something tasty and flavourful they are OK.

[MrGongGong]

I like it
It has a particular taste
but is not without "issues"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa

[oddoneout]

It's a useful protein source for those of veg inclinations, whether - an or -etarian. I find the sight of it unnerving when cooked - it looks like something from a parasite investigation sample. I do use it mixed in with other things to disguise the taste and look of it, and there is a good microwaveable rice and quinoa mix which is useful for a quick meal with some sort of stew/thick sauce.
I was just checking that I had remembered correctly that it's an amaranth and came across this

Often used as a substitute for rice, quinoa is commonly considered to be a grain and is usually referred to as such, but it is actually a seed.

I know what they are trying to say, and if rephrased it could correctly convey that, but as it stands it suggests that grains are not seeds.

[oddoneout]

I like it
It has a particular taste
but is not without "issues"

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...e-truth-quinoa

There is an alternative https://www.britishquinoa.co.uk/ and perhaps in the difficult times ahead more attention and support will come the way of such pioneers.
I have successfully grown and harvested amaranth in the past but fund the washing prior to cooking a faff, so preferred to use the plant as a leaf crop. Without the allotment I don't have the space for it now.

[HighlandDougie]

As with couscous, quinoa benefits greatly taste-wise from a light "toasting" before you cook it, i.e. dry fry it over a medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes until it starts to go pale brown., then let it cool a bit and cook as is your wont.

[Count Boso]

but is not without "issues"

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...e-truth-quinoa

Yes, it's a fashion superfood 'discovered' and adopted by the west, which is inflating the price for local people in South America for whom it's a staple. And it doen't taste that good anyway, to my palate. Stick to couscous or bulgur wheat.

And it's pronounced KEEN-waa - with the Hispanic pronunciation of qu- (unlike Italian).

[Old Grumpy]

It's a useful protein source for those of veg inclinations, whether - an or -etarian. I find the sight of it unnerving when cooked - it looks like something from a parasite investigation sample. I do use it mixed in with other things to disguise the taste and look of it, and there is a good microwaveable rice and quinoa mix which is useful for a quick meal with some sort of stew/thick sauce.
I was just checking that I had remembered correctly that it's an amaranth and came across this
I know what they are trying to say, and if rephrased it could correctly convey that, but as it stands it suggests that grains are not seeds.

Yes, thanks for that ooo! I agree it did have a certain similarity to the content of a vermicular composting system!

OG

[richardfinegold]

Over here it’s pronounced “Kin-wah”. As others have said it is a plant based protein that contains all 20 Amino Acids and is very low calorie.
It was greatly touted in a book that was a best seller by Walter Willet, the Director of Epidemiology of Harvard Medical School, titled “Eat, Drink, and be Healthy”. The author is an effective speaker.
As mentioned by others, the stuff is intrinsically tasteless. It is similar to Tofu in that it adopts the taste of whatever you add to it, so if weight loss is the main goal make sure the additives don’t swell the calorie count. We like to cook it in water with bullion cubes added for a mild flavor, and then I prefer to add a dollop of salsa to my portion, which horrifies my wife.

[richardfinegold]

Yes, it's a fashion superfood 'discovered' and adopted by the west, which is inflating the price for local people in South America for whom it's a staple. And it doen't taste that good anyway, to my palate. Stick to couscous or bulgur wheat.

And it's pronounced KEEN-waa - with the Hispanic pronunciation of qu- (unlike Italian).

It was the main grain of the Incas. When the Spaniards conquered them they hated the stuff and forced a conversion to corn, but quinoa never dissapeared and because it has all the essential amino acids it became popular for vegetarians.
Surely there must be some irony in European based cultures adopting a food from indigenous people that was almost driven to extinction by Cultural Imperialism?