Happy autumn
to you all. The days are already getting noticeably shorter and as I write this
we are getting more information about Cyclone Pam – take good care out there
over the next week or so. As promised in my last column, my focus for the next
few weeks is on grains and the wonderful things you can do with them. Today we
are taking about Amaranth – an ancient, tiny but nutritious gluten-free grain.
Amaranth has
been an important source of food in South America for at least 6000 years. In
the interests of good information, it has to be acknowledged that although it
looks like a grain and we treat it like one, in fact it is not a true cereal
like wheat and oats etc… it is not from Poaceae
family of plants. It is an imposter!
Nutritionally
speaking Amaranth is just like the ‘real’ grains of the cereal family, only it
is better for you. It contains more protein than other gluten-free grains, it
is an excellent source of lysine (an important amino acid) and is a wonderful
source of calcium – around five times more calcium than the equivalent weight
in rice.
Amaranth is
also a rich source of iron, magnesium, fibre, vitamin E and is lower in
carbohydrates than rice; it has a low glycemic index and so is the best choice
for people who need to watch their blood sugar levels. It is a superfood and it
tastes really good.
Amaranth
cannot directly replace wheat flour in recipes. It absorbs water very easily
and can result in a very dense end product if you do not respect it. If you
replace some flour with the amaranth, you will enjoy the nutty flavour and the
excellent nutritional benefits of it. I do not recommend it for making fried
goods as it will soak up oil.
Kia makona,
Mawera Karetai x
Amaranth Crusty Bread
Ingredients:
·
1 cup amaranth seeds (whole grain amaranth)
·
1 1/2 cups water
·
pinch of salt
·
2 tsp dry yeast
·
1 Tbsp. raw honey (do not use creamed honey)
·
1/3 cup water
·
4 cups whole wheat flour
·
1/2 cup amaranth flour
·
2 tsp. salt
·
1 1/4 cup warmed milk
·
2 tbsp. soft butter
Directions:
In a medium pot mix together amaranth seeds, salt and water. Bring it to boil, and cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat. Turn off the heat and let the mixture soak.
In a small bowl stir yeast and honey into the water and put it aside for 15 minutes.
Mix the flours and salt in a bowl, make a hole and pour the yeast mixture in. Stir the flours and yeast together. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Stir milk, butter into cooked amaranth and add it to the dough. Turn your dough out and kneed on a lightly floured bench for five minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest until doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 240°C.
In a lightly floured surface form the dough to a ball, then put it on a baking sheet. Let it rest for 10 minutes. You can decorate your loaf by scoring it with a sharp knife.
Put the baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven, bake 10 minutes at 240°C, and then 35 minutes more at 190°C.
In a medium pot mix together amaranth seeds, salt and water. Bring it to boil, and cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat. Turn off the heat and let the mixture soak.
In a small bowl stir yeast and honey into the water and put it aside for 15 minutes.
Mix the flours and salt in a bowl, make a hole and pour the yeast mixture in. Stir the flours and yeast together. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Stir milk, butter into cooked amaranth and add it to the dough. Turn your dough out and kneed on a lightly floured bench for five minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest until doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 240°C.
In a lightly floured surface form the dough to a ball, then put it on a baking sheet. Let it rest for 10 minutes. You can decorate your loaf by scoring it with a sharp knife.
Put the baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven, bake 10 minutes at 240°C, and then 35 minutes more at 190°C.
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