How to use amaranth in the kitchen?
An exotic plant that gives delicious fruit. It is amaranth, a pseudocereal that is obtained from the seeds of the homonymous shrub cultivated in Latin America since the times of the Aztecs. Also, in Italy, we can find the plant that grows as a weed in gardens. Much re-evaluated in recent years as it is rich in fiber and protein and, above all gluten-free; amaranth is an excellent ingredient in the kitchen to keep in the pantry.
How amaranth is cooked?
Amaranth seeds are cooked for a long time, about 40 minutes in boiling water with a ratio of one cup of seeds to 3 of water. Before immersing them, it is important to wash them well with running water. If you want to shorten the time you can use the pressure cooker, in which 20 minutes are enough. After cooking, the seeds must be left to rest for about ten minutes so that they can swell. Finally, according to the recipes, they can be toasted in a pan with a drop of oil.
Recipes with amaranth?
Amaranth has a slightly nutty and very delicate flavor and is excellent when paired with cereals and vegetables for which it is particularly appreciated in soups and salads. You can also experiment to prepare sweet or savory croquettes and flans and combinations with dairy products and eggs are also highly recommended.
Sweet preparations with amaranth?
The seeds can be used in cereal and sesame bars and biscuits or, if reduced to powder, they can be partially substituted for the flour for cakes.
Amaranth soup recipe?
Amaranth is particularly suitable to accompany vegetables, in bread making and breading. Let’s see how amaranth soup is prepared using vegetable scraps in the fridge
INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)
- 180 gr of amaranth
- 540 ml of vegetable broth
- 2 medium-sized potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 100 gr of mixed vegetables
- 1 onion
- Salt and Pepper to Taste.
- Extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Wash the amaranth and put it in a saucepan with the broth for about 30 minutes over low heat.
- In the meantime, peel the potatoes and carrots, cut them into chunks and put them in a pan with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the onion.
- Add the vegetables and toss them.
- Cover with a glass of water and proceed with cooking.
- When the leftovers are cooked, pass them in the blender until they form a puree
- After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and add the amaranth to the vegetable puree
- Serve with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil
