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comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  4697 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: We're Eating Less Meat. Why? - NYTimes.com
Thanks! I actually like quinoa a lot and have been cooking with it for some time. You are right, it's very versatile. I was in Peru about a year and a half ago and was looking forward to trying some there but it isn't as plentiful as it once was. Why? Because of it's gaining popularity in places like the US: "Yet the higher prices quinoa is fetching have had an unanticipated impact where the grain is grown. Some local children are showing signs of malnutrition because their parents have substituted rice and noodles for quinoa in the family diet, said Walter Severo, president of a quinoa producer's group in southwest Bolivia".

It's a wonderful grain, I do feel a bit guilty buying it though.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2011/01/07/quinoa...

Ping.





fr33lunch  ·  4693 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I read about that last year when the story broke. Interesting paradox. Accelerated farming leads to higher prices and higher wages for workers, the grain's prices rise higher than the average wages.

Fair Trade Quinoa should really help end that issue. Alter Eco is one such brand you could look for if you wanted to have an impact. http://hubski.com/pub?id=14237

zmagma  ·  4696 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Thanks for the link. Dude, we should just start a quinoa farm in the Canadian Rockies to help drive down bulk costs. It's really unfortunate what's happening there. I was also in Peru & Bolivia exactly a year ago and was fortunate to have some tasty quinoa soup although it was tough to find. The people there don't live on much and still have their basic necessities taken away such as quinoa and even water! (check out the movie "Tambien La Lluvia."

Here's the recipe (spices will be cheapest at a local indian spice/grocery shop):

Indian Quin-Laaf

1 cup quinoa ~ 2 cups Water Salt Asafoetida Oil 2 whole Chili peppers (fresh Serrano or Thai) 3 table spoons of slivered almonds 1 medium onion chopped 1 medium/large zucchini diced ½ cup of diced mushroom 1 heaping tablespoon of grated ginger ½ cup of freshly chopped cilantro Spice Mixture 1: ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ¼ teaspoon black cumin seeds ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds Spice Mixture 2: 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin powder 1.5 teaspoon ground coriander powder ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric powder 1 teaspoon ground chilli powder

Boil 1 cup of Quinoa with 1.75 cups of water, half a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of asafoetida on medium heat & uncovered. After 10 minutes, water should have absorbed/evaporated and quinoa should be cooked. Set aside. In a separate fry pan/wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and medium heat. Add Spice mixture 1 , chilli peppers, and slivered almonds. Mix and let heat/toast. Once Mustard seeds start popping, add chopped onions. Saute on Medium-Low heat until onions have become shiny & translucent. Add diced zucchini and mushroom. While simmering on low heat, add spice mixture 2 in a small bowl with 1/8 cup of water and mix well with fork or whisk. Once mixed, add to pan and mix everything together well. Let the spices & veggies cook together for at least 3 min and until vegetables are at desired crisp level. Now add cooked quinoa, half a tablespoon of salt, grated ginger and mix everything together. Serve in dish and top with chopped fresh cilantro. (Yields 3-4 servings)

Enjoy.

thenewgreen  ·  4553 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Alright, I have had this quinoa sitting in my pantry for almost 100 days now with the intention of cooking your recipe. Alas, I've not yet gotten the spices to make it. That said, maybe its better I experiment with quinoa on my own first. I'm cooking it right now. I used vegetable stock, white wine a ton of garlic, mushrooms, shallots and some greens. Flavored with some sriracha, soy and a touch of maple syrup.

Turned out well:

The Stage

The Players

The Performance

Best part was, I found out that my 18 month old daughter LOVES quinoa.

Thanks zmagma, next stop... your recipe!

zmagma  ·  4553 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I am thoroughly impressed. Gorgeous performance!

Is that tofu or paneer in your dish?? And what greens did you use? Bok choy? I think I'm going to try this recipe sometime this week!

thenewgreen  ·  4553 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Thank you! It's tofu with sriracha, soy and a little mae syrup. Also, the greens are Bok Choy and a few al dente cucumbers too. Enjoy!
zmagma  ·  4553 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Sounds great. I'll have to use the Sambal Olek sauce as a substitute. Thanks!
thenewgreen  ·  4695 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Thank you very much, I look forward to preparing this. I'm going to make this tomorrow night. I've never used Asafoetida before.

What did you think of Bolivia? I wish I could have travelled there too. My wife was doing an away rotation in Peru and I took the opportunity to visit her and make a trek to Machu Picchu, it was amazing.

Thanks again.

zmagma  ·  4695 days ago  ·  link  ·  
You're welcome sir. Let me know how it turns out and what you think. Asafoetida is quite potent so be very conservative when adding that pinch. It's actually powder from crystallized tree sap (forget which tree).

Bolivia was a true gem and beyond unforgettable. The locals there were the warmest I've met since they're so grateful in meeting tourists, let alone Americans. And the terrain, although landlocked, is like visiting another another planet (Salt flats, Amazon basin, Lake Titicaca). I highly recommend. I agree with you on the trek up to Machu Picchu, one of the most strenuous yet edifying experiences!

thenewgreen  ·  4693 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Just thought I'd let you know that I haven't had an opportunity to make this yet. I really look forward to it! I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!!
zmagma  ·  4692 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Sounds good! I'm not sure what kind of experience you have with those spices, but at any rate - if you have any questions about them, feel free to let me know. Good luck.