AMAZING AMARANTH
I’m in danger of only writing about grains on here, but I’ll do one more just for the fun of it, and also because I think it’s super important. We are all trying to cut down on UPFs (ultra processed food), and as a lot of shop-bought bread is full of rubbish, and shop-bought pasta is just a bit meh, I think it’s important to a) cook with a variety of different grains and b) introduce different grains to young family members pretty early on so that they are comfortable with all of the different varieties of beige (ha!). Grains are cheap, easy to cook and bulky. Children usually love them, and adults do too (most of us never truly grow out of our favourite foods). We need comfort food and we need ‘carbs’ as part of a sustainable, balanced diet.
Amaranth is great as it’s extremely high in protein as well as being gluten-free. It has a nutty, smoky, quinoa-ish taste to it and a natural sweetness. It has that little crunch I’m always looking for, but is also soft and easy for the body to digest. Like quinoa, amaranth is technically more of a seed than a grain, hence its high protein content and the fact that it looks like lots and lots of teeny tiny spheres. From an Ayurvedic perspective, amaranth is great for those with high Kapha (most children for example) and high Pitta (people in the peak of their lives such as between 30 and 50 years old, or those who tend to carry weight around their middle or are a little on the fiery side). It is good for moving energy downwards, and bulking up the stool, enabling a clear passage for that which follows (!). It is soothing and high in magnesium and manganese which help to relax the muscles. As it is a relatively dry grain, it isn’t suitable for people with extremely high Vata unless cooked with moist, grounding vegetables such as carrots. However, this dry quality can help to ‘mop up’ moisture or mucus from the respiratory system- something that is much-needed during the Spring time, especially if you have young (snotty) children or suffer from seasonal allergies. Amaranth is great for those who tend to have slightly lower iron levels, and gives a great energy boost whilst still relieving tension.
It was one of the great South American grains (like quinoa) before colonialism messed with local diets, but can be found in large bags not only in health food shops, but some of the major supermarkets as well as ‘ethnic’ shops. You cook it in the same way that you would cook quinoa or couscous; lightly sauteeing any spices you want in oil or ghee, adding the amaranth and then covering with water and letting it simmer for a while. It takes a bit longer to soften up, so leave a good 30 minutes for cooking, and mix in whichever veggies suit your dosha type. As it was super windy outside, but the girls wanted to eat in the garden, I ended up cooking ours with carrots, sweetcorn and black eye beans, trying to keep the Vata low but the troops happy.