How to make fluffy (not crunchy) quinoa?
Here is what I did:
- Heated 1 cup quinoa in olive oil for 1 minute after rinsing it.
- Added 2 cups water till it boiled.
- I set the heat to the lowest setting and closed it with a lid.
After 15 minutes, the quinoa is still crunchy and the water has gone. If I let it stand for a few more minutes it gets burnt. I've tried this a few times and get same result - the quinoa is half cooked and inedible. What am I doing wrong?
Note: I'm very new to cooking. About 3 weeks since I entered the kitchen.
Best Answer
Quinoa is cooked exactly like rice. In fact- if you have a rice cooker you can use that and not worry about it. Your procedure is ok. This is the way I make my quinoa.
Toasting grains in oil before steaming them is delicious and results in grains that are more nutty and more individual. Rice is nice this way so there is less risk of making rice paste.
If you are having trouble with your grain not rehydrating properly, the first thing to try would be to skip the oil step. It isn't required.
If you find that your water is evaporating before the quinoa is steamed then it is likely that your lid isn't tight enough.
Pictures about "How to make fluffy (not crunchy) quinoa?"
Quick Answer about "How to make fluffy (not crunchy) quinoa?"
Bingo! 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.How do you make quinoa not crunchy?
How to make fluffy (not crunchy) quinoa?How do you soften quinoa?
Here's the way to do it: Combine 1 cup (rinsed!) quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.Why is my quinoa still hard?
If you continue lifting your lid, steam/moisture escapes and that's when you end up with hard kernels of half-cooked or unevenly cooked quinoa. Resist the urge to peak and just trust in the cooking process! You will also want to make sure that you rinse and drain your quinoa before cooking it.Is it OK for quinoa to be crunchy?
If you're using a dark color quinoa, it will be a bit harder to detect when it's done baking, so just remove a bit from the baking sheet (close to the end of the baking time), let it cool and taste. It should be very crunchy when it's done.FLUFFY QUINOA | How to Cook Quinoa Perfectly, Every Time
More answers regarding how to make fluffy (not crunchy) quinoa?
Answer 2
As Sobachatina said, it's cooked like many grains, and behaves very similar to rice.
You could try continuing the steaming method, and if it does not get done by the time all the water has turned to steam, start it with a bit more water. Sobachatina's suggestion of a tight lid is also worth considering, but pay attention to the pot then, so you don't get it boiling over.
An alternative is to use a boiling method. With or without toasting it first, add 3.5 parts of water to 1 part quinoa. Cook until soft, and put through a sieve to discard the superfluous water. The upside is that, unless you are using too high a temperature, there is no way to burn it.
Answer 3
Cook uncovered the entire time. When all the water is soaked up, take it off the heat and then cover it. That’s when it opens up the kernels and gets fluffy.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Salih Zeqiri, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA, Elizaveta Mitenkova, Akshay Sawardekar