QUINOA

The grain, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), like tomatoes, maize, Phaseolus beans and potatoes, was a staple food of the Inca peoples. Unlike these other crops, however, quinoa did not attain global importance following the Spanish conquest. One reason which has been advanced to explain this is the presence in the outer layers of the grain of bitter and toxic saponins (see below) which must be removed before processing or cooking. Traditionally this was done by washing or steeping in water and it is obvious this is much less practicable in cloudy, European climates where subsequent drying is difficult, if not impossible.