Japanese make soba, buckwheat noodles. In
the United States it’s most often encountered
in pancakes, to which it contributes tenderness
and a nutty aroma.
Quinoa Quinoa is a native of northern South
America, was domesticated near Lake
Titicaca in the Andes around 5000 BCE, and
was a staple food of the Incas, second in
importance only to the potato. Chenopodium
quinoa is in the same family as beets and
spinach. The grains are small yellow spheres
between 1 and 3 mm across. The outer
pericarp of many quinoa varieties contains
bitter defensive compounds called saponins,
which can be removed by brief washing and
rubbing in cold water (prolonged soaking
deposits saponins within the seed). Quinoa
can be cooked like rice or added to soups and
other liquid dishes; it’s also popped, and is
ground and made into a variety of flatbreads.
Legumes: