Inca Organics and Quinoa—The Mother Grain
by Warren McLaren, Sydney 
on 08. 3.06
Quinoa is surely a candidate for a feature cover of Time magazine. The UN already recognise it as the only vegetable source to be a complete protein. It is a seed grain, or super grain, that has the same nutritional profile as milk. It contains all the essential amino acids required for human health. No wonder NASA have it on their list as a crop of choice for self-sustaining ecosystems in long duration, manned spaceflight. Back on Earth, we’ve been eating it for an estimated 6,000 years. Well, those of us with Andean lineage have. It grows best above 11,000 ft (3,350m), in the mountains of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The seeds are coated with a protective waxy covering, known as saponin, that in unpalatable, and deters birds and animals from munching. A natural, inbuilt, non-harmful pest control. This can be washed off for human consumption. Quinoa has a nutty sort of texture (I personally much prefer it to cous cous), and is said have a subtle 'crunch', resembling that of caviar. But far from that extravagant delicacy, this wonder grain is ...
... grown by poor peasant farmers, struggling to make ends meet. Inca Organics is company trying to change that. Founded by ex-Peace Corps workers, it aims to broaden the market for Quinoa, so that farm families might realise a gentler way of life. Already, with small markets established in the UK, US and Australia, they believe they’ve raised the household income from $250 to $500 USD per annum. (Ecuador set their poverty level at $360.) Inca Organics believe their organic Quinoa to be superior to most others, because of the fair trade manner, with which they deal with their farmers, and particularly due to the method they use for removal and disposal of the saponin. Read their story in this News Target interview. It’s more like a soft FAQ, than a hard hitting interview. But you do learn about the product, which is a fascinating crop. ::Inca Organics.
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We served quinoa at our wedding. We kept on hearing comments like "What is this? It's great!" I think if more people knew about quinoa, it'd be more popular... it's really easy to make, very good for you, and quite yummy even when served basically plain.
I really want to use quinoa and have tried it in the past, but is there an easier way to wget the saponin off? tried using a dunking method with cheesecloth and well...it has a tendency to stick to it. BUT...tastes great and is really fast to cook - especially in a pressure cooker. Just need some advise about techniques to get rid of the saponin so it makes cleanup a lot easier. Another grain to look into is amaranth.
Quinoa is a yummy grain, and is very easy to prepare. The wax dust comes off in the same way you rinse rice. Then (magic tip) just drop it into a heated pan to brown until it begins to pop. With the pan still on, pour the water in, let it come back up to boil, then cover and simmer for 15 min. Voila! Our favorite meal is mixing it into a salad, or using it in place of rice with stir-fry. Also try a pilaf with browned nuts, seeds, dried fruit, burnt onion. mmmmmmmmmmm
anonymous: I'm not certain, but I think that most quinoa that you can buy in a supermarket has already been processed to remove the saponin. Supposedly, the taste of saponin is very bitter, and I've never had any bitter-tasting quinoa.
I love quinoa, been having it for several years now, cooking it in a rice cooker (about 3 cups at a time) and storing it for breakfast. What would it be like if everyone knew about this fantastic eco-grain? Mmm, there's a nice thought. Get the word out! Let everyone know! }:)
"anonymous: I'm not certain, but I think that most quinoa that you can buy in a supermarket has already been processed to remove the saponin. Supposedly, the taste of saponin is very bitter, and I've never had any bitter-tasting quinoa."
that would make sense to me, I've cooked it after forgetting to rinse and it tasted fine.
boil water (2 parts water/1 part quinoa) turn off burner, add quinoa, put lid on and in about 15 minutes the quinoa will be ready to eat
Great post! I just found quinoa this past year and love it - it cooks so fast and soaks up sauce better than rice or tofu. Delish. Trader Joe's carries it nowadays.
This is also a perfect grain for vegetarians, since it does contain all of the essential amino acids. A careful vegetable balancing act is needed otherwise, but quinoa makes it so easy!
Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to mention that I just posted a recipe for Quinoa on my own Blog that some of you may enjoy.
The URL is www.dalesfood.blogspot.com
I hope you enjoy it! Best regards, Dale.