Popped Quinoa & Amaranth

By Hester

Ingredients

• 1/2 - 1 cup (pre-washed) quinoa or amaranth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (optional)

Details

Adapted from southamericanfood.about.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Quinoa is often pre-washed before packaging, which should be stated on the box. If not, rinse quinoa thoroughly and let dry).


2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.


3. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the vegetable oil if desired (this will help the salt adhere to the grains later, if you are going to eat them like popcorn, but it's not necessary for popping them). Add about 1/4 cup of grain, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan with a single layer. Stir grains with a wooden spoon as they pop - you will hear a sound and the grains may jump out of the pan. Amaranth grains pop very dramatically and change from dark yellow to white, while quinoa grains have a more subtle pop and turn a toasted brown color.

4. Once the grains have mostly popped, remove them from the heat and transfer to a plate to cool. Watch quinoa especially closely and remove it from the heat when it is golden brown and toasted, before it starts to burn.


5. Continue to pop the grains in batches. Toss popped grain with salt and serve.