Recipes
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Jun/Jul 2005
Cooking with Amaranth
by Sue Verstraten
I recently tried a pikelet made with amaranth. It tasted so good that
I thought I should include a recipe for it in this issue. As I knew
nothing about this seed, I decided to find out more.
The amazing amaranth seed was sacred to the Aztecs. It fortified the
Indian civilisations of Central and South America. It has a high protein
content of 75% and also contains lysine, calcium and magnesium in superior
quantities compared with other cereals.
So when the conquistadors and missionaries saw the seed as magical,
they forbade its cultivation and consumption; breaking this law carried
the death penalty. Consequently the health of these people, so reliant
on this seed, declined.
The revival was due mainly to research in the 1980s which showed amaranth's
outstanding qualities.
The following recipes use the puffed grain, which is currently what
we sell at the Co-op, although we are looking for a source of the raw
grain (if any readers know of a supplier, please tell us!).
Chewy Honey Bars
The kids would be able to help make and eat these!
Ingredients (organic where possible):
4 cups amaranth puffs
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1-1/2 cups pitted dates or apricots
Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange
1 tspn ground cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
100 g unsalted butter, melted
100 g chocolate, melted (optional)
Method:
Line a square baking tin, 20 x 20 cm, with baking paper. Put amaranth
and coconut into large bowl. Place dates, juice, rind and cinnamon into
a saucepan and cook gently until dates are soft and juice has evaporated.
Remove from heat and add everything but the chocolate.
Combine ingredients. Spoon into baking tin, press down and drizzle with
chocolate if using. Refrigerate until firm for 1-2 hours before slicing.
Amaranth Pikelets
Now, even easier are the pikelets. These can be made as a sweet version,
and are ideal with a topping of maple
syrup and a spoonful of whipped cream. Or for a savoury pikelet, omit
the vanilla and add half a teaspoon
each of turmeric and pepper; serve with smoked salmon and a dollop of
mayonnaise on top.
Ingredients (organic where possible):
1-1/2 cups amaranth puffs
1 tspn vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Method:
Combine ingredients; the mixture should be thick. Pour pikelet-sized
spoonfuls of mixture onto hot pan and fry in butter. Turn gently to
keep pikelets intact.
Serve golden brown with your favourite toppings. Enjoy!
[From "Maple Street Co-op News", Apr/May 2005; published by
The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny,
Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]