Commonly known in Peru as “kiwicha”, this is a highly nutritious grain, native from South America and since ancient times it has been a fundamental part of the Andean diet. Nowadays it is widely used in a variety of applications all of which take advantage of its extraordinary nutritional qualities.
Health benefits:
- It contains about thirty percent more protein than cereals like rice.
- Similar protein to wheat germ and oats.
- Amaranth grain is particularly high in lysine, an amino acid that is low in other grains.
- Gluten free.
Uses:
- Amaranth can be cooked in liquids and eaten as a porridge or pilaf.
- It can also be popped like corn.
- Amaranth flour can make many different foods like: bread, muffins, bagels, pasta, cookies, sauces, pancakes, flatbreads, doughnuts and dumplings.
- Amaranth pasta is light brown in colour; when it is cooked, the pasta gets the colour of whole-wheat pasta and the regular consistency of it.