© avlxyz (Flickr) Serving Soup – Soup Restaurant
© avlxyz (Flickr)
Quinoa grains have multiple purposes – as a cereal in the morning, porridge, and as an ingredient in dishes. One of the most popular dishes in Bolivia for example is the quinoa chicken soup. This is a hearty and nutritious soup which is easy to make. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, essential vitamins and is a good source of fibre.
What you need
1 cup of chicken breasts (diced or cut into strips)
2 carrots (cubed)
1-1 ½ cups of quinoa grains
1 cup of fresh peas (frozen or canned peas will do)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic
1-2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1-2 medium potatoes, cubed
chicken broth or a seasoning cube
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
How to prepare the soup
1. Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a large pot.
2. Fry the garlic, onions and tomatoes under slow fire. If you do not have chicken broth on hand, add the seasoning cube at this point.
3. Add the chicken and the rest of the vegetables – carrots, peas and potatoes while stirring constantly.
4. In the meantime, wash the quinoa seeds and separate black grains or little stones which were not sifted. Drain the water using a fine sifter or colander (the seeds are tiny and will slip through).
5. Add the quinoa grains and stir for at least 3 minutes. Put water in the pot according to how thick you want your soup to be. Quinoa seeds expand and thicken the water so it is best to top up with water once you see that the seeds have popped.
6. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for at least 30 minutes. For a spicy taste, add fresh chillies.