Whether you are a student, a homemaker or a working person, meal prep is something that you absolutely need to learn to be able to survive hectic weekdays. And when it comes to arranging a healthy meal prep for the entire week, nothing gets as good as cooking quinoa in a large batch and storing it properly for the entire week. Quinoa, in case you weren’t aware, is an ancient grain from South America, particularly Peru and Bolivia. Quinoa is not only one of the richest sources of plant proteins in the world, but also packed with dietary fibre, vitamins and proteins.
Quinoa is perfect as a grain for those who are health conscious and yet want to eat something delicious. Quinoa has a naturally nutty flavour and can be easily adapted into sweet dishes as well as savoury ones. The grain is perfect for salads, Buddha bowls, pulaos, khichdi and even dessert bowls, which is why adding quinoa to your healthy diet is the easiest thing in the world—and beneficial too!
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However, for many people, not knowing how to cook quinoa perfectly at home is a great stumbling block. As a delicate grain, quinoa needs to be cooked right for the texture to remain al dente instead of turning mushy. Fluffy quinoa can be easily cooked at home if you just know the right tricks. What’s more, it makes for the perfect meal prep ingredient because when stored right, cooked quinoa stays fresh for up to five days at least. A large batch of cooked and stored quinoa can help you sort out your meals for an entire week when done the right way.
Wondering how to go about cooking a large batch of quinoa and storing it right so it comes handy all week through? Here are all the tips and tricks you will ever need.
Pick Your Quinoa
Quinoa, like most wild and ancient grains, comes in many colours. The most easily available one is the white or off-white one, but you might also get red, black or mixed quinoa at your local organic food store. In fact, almost all varieties are easily available online too. The thing you need to know is that the lighter varieties of quinoa have the mildest flavour, so if you are a novice then opting for a mild-flavoured one will help assimilate your taste buds better. So, pick the right kind of quinoa based on your needs first.
Always Rinse Before Cooking
All types of quinoa come with a natural coating of a compound called saponin. Saponin is a naturally occurring insecticide that is responsible for the bitter taste of quinoa. So, if you try to cook quinoa without thoroughly rinsing it to get rid of the saponins, then not only will the grain turn out to be inedible, but it can also cause stomach ailments like loose motion and indigestion. Hence, always wash and rinse the quinoa grains repeatedly using a sieve.
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Water To Grain Ratio
All you need to cook quinoa properly is a big pot filled with water. But how much water, you ask? Well, the accepted proportion is one cup of quinoa should be cooked in two cups of water. Many people, however, go for one and three-fourth cups of water to ensure the cooked quinoa doesn’t get mushy. This might be a good trick to use, as you can add a bit more water in case the quinoa is dry, but mushy quinoa is irredeemable.
Flavouring Quinoa
For many people, the taste of simply cooked quinoa seems bland and uninteresting, which is why even the most dedicated health freaks tend to stop eating it. However, remedying this is very easy indeed. All you need to do is add some salt, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and a cardamom pod in the quinoa water. While this won’t affect the cooking of the quinoa, it will certainly enhance the taste and flavour of the cooked quinoa.
Cooking Temperature
Never cook quinoa on a high flame as it can easily dry out the grains and leave them undercooked. Instead, opt for a low to medium flame and let the quinoa water simmer. You can cover the pot if you want, or cook the quinoa uncovered to ensure you get the perfect texture. The best way to confirm that quinoa is cooked is to check if it has bloomed—quinoa has a white-ish tendril once cooked. You can switch off the flame and let the quinoa steam with the cover on when it gets to this stage. Use a fork to fluff up the cooked quinoa.
Storing Cooked Quinoa
Cooked quinoa stays well in the refrigerator for five days if you store it in an airtight container. Tossing the cooked quinoa in some olive oil also helps increase the longevity of the cooked grains. However, it is best to not store cooked quinoa mixed with raw veggies and fruits in the refrigerator for more than a day, as the quinoa might not go bad, but the cut fruits and veggies will definitely go stale.