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Prepare Amaranth Properly: This Is the Best Way to Proceed

You can prepare amaranth in a number of ways. In this article, we will tell you how to cook the pseudocereal, eat it raw and puff it yourself. We also give you suggestions for further processing.

Prepare amaranth: How to cook the pseudocereal

Amaranth is a popular “pseudo grain” because it contains numerous nutrients. Despite its similarity to real grain, it belongs to the “exotic grain” category, like quinoa and buckwheat. To cook it you must follow these steps:

  1. In order to remove the bitter substances from the natural amaranth, you must first wash it with hot water. To do this, put it in a sieve. Once the water runs clear, you can cook the amaranth.
  2. Now put three times the amount of water and, for savory dishes, a pinch of salt in a saucepan and wait until the water boils.
  3. Once the water is boiling you can add the grains and let it boil for a few minutes before turning the heat down to low.
  4. The amaranth must now simmer for about 25 minutes. When it’s the consistency of a mush, it’s almost done and the stove can be turned off.
  5. Now the grains have to swell. Leave the pseudo-grain in the pot with the lid on for about 10 minutes.
  6. When the amaranth is ready, you can eat it directly or process it further. A vegetable pan, patties or stuffed vegetables are ideal for this.

Eating amaranth raw: You have to keep this in mind

If you want to eat amaranth raw, you should consider the following:

  • Eating the grains raw can have a negative effect on your gastrointestinal tract due to the plant compounds they contain.
  • For this reason, it is advisable to let the amaranth soak for a few hours before eating. In order to completely avoid negative effects, you should cook the pseudo-grain for at least a few minutes.
  • If you want to use the grains for your muesli or pastries, for example, you can puff them beforehand. In the next chapter you will learn how this works best.

Puffing amaranth: Here’s how

You can buy already puffed amaranth in many stores. This is ideal for baking or muesli. If you want to puff the grains yourself, here’s what you need to do:

  1. First place a pot on the stove and heat it up.
  2. Now put the amaranth in the pot. Make sure the bottom of the pot is covered and the grains are not on top of each other.
  3. Then put the lid on the pot. However, this should not completely cover the pot.
  4. When you notice the grains popping, you need to start tossing the pot, moving it around all the time.
  5. Once the kernels have popped, you can transfer them to a bowl. Depending on your needs, you can add sugar or spices.
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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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