La Quinoa It is an Andean plant that originated in the surroundings of Lake Titicaca, Peru and Bolivia. It was cultivated and used by prehispanic civilizations and later replaced by the traditional cereals of oats, rice and wheat upon the arrival of the Spanish.
In the beginning, the Quinoa became a staple food in the population Inca, Macha, Paraca, Nazca and even within the Tiahuanacos, who used it for consumption in simple dishes based on milk and protein, as well as for feeding their animals.
In turn, each of these populations were the responsible for giving prevalence to the plant, because they were empowered to cultivate and maintain the Quinoa for their survival and duly, for the growth and knowledge of their predecessors.
The present day, this ingredient will be the star of the preparation, providing more than just a rich flavor, but a quantity of proteins, vitamins and minerals for your diet and that of your family, being presented through a mazamorra or atole, an incredibly natural and healthy dish for breakfast, cold days or simply as appetizers or table dessert.
This recipe is also very popular in the American continent, Due to its simplicity of preparation, its easy-to-find ingredients and its deliciousness, but to know what all this is about, below are its steps and needs.
Quinoa Mazamorra Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 gr of washed Quinoa
- 200 g sugar
- 2 l of water
- 1 l of milk
- 6 cloves
- 2 cinnamon shells
- Ground cinnamon to taste
The materials to use
- A pan
- Spoons
- Kitchen towel
- Soup cups
Preparation
- Start by placing boil the water inside a deep pot, once boiled add the Quinoa, previously washed, as well as cinnamon, cloves and sugar
- mix everything very well so that each ingredient gives off its smell and flavor. Let cook for a time of 40 minutes
- stir from time to time to prevent it from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot
- Later, add the milk and stir again. Let boil for 10 more minutes. At the end of the time, turn off the heat and remove from the burner
- Correct the sweetness and if your taste lacks sugar, add a little more
- Let cool or if it is your choice, serve still warm in a soup cup and sprinkle a little ground cinnamon. Integrate pieces of bread
Recommendations
La Porridge (Food similar to hooks made from corn and prepared in various ways according to the places of America) Quinoa, is one of the desserts traditional nutritious and delicious of the Peruvian culture. In addition, it is a sweet dish prepared with one of the most valued superfoods on the planet, positioning it in a position whose quality and enjoyment are high.
The preparation of this sweet it is not a complicated task, another feature that makes it apart from delicious, super easy to make. However, let's not be fooled by all this, since its elaboration requires precision and vigilance, so that nothing sticks inside the pot and its texture is ideal. Both things are not difficult, but they have to be exact.
That is why, given the possibility that you do not know the tricks and tips to make this dessert in the best way, today we express a short list of recommendations so that you can inform yourself and enjoy the process:
- so that the Quinoa it loosens and is not soft or doughy and also, gain flavor, there is a simple trick that we can do before cooking. This is about toast or fry the seeds before cooking them, so that they are completely sealed and do not detach everything inside overwhelmingly
- It's due wash the Quinoa well before boiling, this to remove impurities and give them moisture at another temperature
- Recommended leave the Quinoa to soak overnight. Then wash it with enough tap water to remove any residue.
- The cooking of Quinoa is very similar to that of rice, it should be allowed to soften enough to be consumed comfortably without letting it reach a point where it is impossible to detect each grain
- This delicious pudding is can be consumed hot or cold according to the taste of the people
- Whole milk can be substituted with skim milk depending on the case, the same happens with sugar and sweeteners, they can be changed for sugar cane or panela to make a healthier porridge. This type of change in the mazamorra of Quinoa It is ideal for people suffering from diabetes, hypertension and blood problems.
- To decorate you can substitute cinnamon with cocoa powder, fruit, nuts, or dulce de leche. Also, it can be placed and decorated with candied fruits such as pineapple, apple, peach, raisins, or plums
Nutritional value
Consumption Quinoa it is very versatile and can be cooked in very diverse dishes, which vary in flavor (salty and sweet) and presentation. This food is can be served for breakfast with fruit or bread, with yogurt or on top of a salad. In the same way, it is special for a soup or to make a cream based on another ingredient.
His seed provides all essential amino acids for the body, equating its protein quality to milk. Grains are highly nutritious surpassing traditional cereals in biological value, nutritional and functional quality, such as wheat, corn, rice and oats.
Furthermore, the Quinoa It has a exceptional balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, Mainly thanks to starch. And, among the amino acids present in its proteins, lysine (important for brain development) and algerine and histamine stand out, basic for the development of man or human being during childhood.
In addition, is rich in metonymy and cystine, in minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and in vitamins B and C; while it is low in fat, thus complementing other cereals and legumes such as green beans.
However, it is important to highlight that not all varieties of Quinoa are gluten free, so you have to be aware in case you have a guest who suffers from a disease that prevents you from eating this ingredient full of gluten.
In this sense, so that you are aware of the numbers and amounts of nutrients to consume, here is a brief list with the desired information:
By every 100 grams Quinoa is obtained:
- Calories 368 gr
- Carbohydrates 64 gr
- Starch 52 gr
- dietary fiber 7 gr
- Grease 6 gr
- polyunsaturated fats 3.3 gr
- Tryptophan 0.17 gr
- Water 13 gr
- Vitamina B2 0.32g
- Vitamina B0.5mg
- Folic acid 184 inches
- Vitamin E 2.4 mg
- Iron 4.6 mg
- Magnesium 197 mg
Advantages of Quinoa consumption
eat regularly Quinoa improves your health and prevents certain heart and muscle diseases. Currently, 48 grams per day over three meals is recommended to reduce the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, colon cancer, obesity, breast cancer, gonorrhea and tuberculosis, among other. In addition, it contains alkaline substance and due to this it is used as a natural remedy for sprains and strains.
Types of Quinoa
There are several types of Quinoa of which are: White, red and black quinoa
- white quinoa
La white quinoa and real is the variety best known for its flavour, it is soft and has a light and fluffy texture. It is recommended for any type of recipe of Peruvian cuisine.
- red quinoa
This type of grain or cereal has a more intense flavor, reminds of the nut and is encouraged to consume it in a salad or with fruit, all this beats a high nutritional content.
- black quinoa
La Quinoa black is the result of cross Quinoa and spinach seeds, which gave a hybrid with a greater texture, crunchier and with an intensely sweet flavor. The black quinoa It is rich in lithium and antioxidants, it also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties.
The Quinoa Bush
The cultivation of Quinoa was and is present in South America, thanks to the marketing and sale of the plant at the hands of the prehispanic and at the time, of the foreign who settled in the area. Likewise, it spread to various countries in Latin America and did not escape entering other nations in Europe and Asia with high levels of yield and production.
La Quinoa It is known in botany by the name Chenopodium Quinoa, an herb belonging to the Chenopodioidesea subfamily of Amaranthaceae. Technically, it is a fruit but it is known and classified as a whole grain.
Between all its movements, destinations and different crops in the area, the climate and other factors such as fertilizer and soil, the Quinoa stood as a herbaceous shrub It normally reaches a height of 1 to 3 meters.
Its alternate leaves are wide and polymorphous, the central stem can be more or less branched depending on the variety or density of the planting. The flowers are arranged in panicles, each of them are small and without petals, to quickly become the grain or fruit to be harvested.
the fruit is achene utricle of membranous pericarp about 2 millimeters in diameter, it has lenticular seeds with abundant floury polysperm and currently, when it reaches a mature level within the plant, it can become larger, with high starch content and less protein.
In the same sense, this bush, which many people call a "big tree" because of its size, is also considered a plant with different terminals. One of these is hermaphrodite or male and the lateral ones are usually female, which allows its reproduction and growth.
The quinoa. Resistance and durability
La Quinoa stands out for being a highly resistant forest, which has allowed it to last more than a thousand years in the soils of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and even Argentina.
In this sense, the Quinoa is first, all-weather resistant. It is tolerant to the cold and to the continuous use of water and the scourge of the rains. In addition, it has a extraordinary adaptation to the ground, being able to withstand temperatures from 4ºC to 38ºC and grow with relative humidity from 40% to 70%.
