Aztecs in Central America for at least five thousand years. Amaranth is also grown for its intensely nutritious leaves. Like quinoa, it is high in protein and good fats and is gluten-free. Cooking with amaranth is more of a challenge than cooking with quinoa, because the tiny, 1- to 2-millimeter seeds stay crunchy while producing a porridgey consistency all around them. The Aztecs …show more content…
The seeds can be steeped or added raw to baked goods for crunch. TEFF Teff originated in Ethiopia, and its name translates to “lost,” because the tiny coffee-brown, red, or ivory seeds, half as big as amaranth, are hard to see. Teff is nearly wild and grows in tough, arid conditions. Maturing in 120 days, the high- calcium, mineral-rich crop was survival food for thousands of years. It was primarily ground into flour for injera, the traditional crêpelike flatbread used as both serving plate and edible spoon in Ethiopian dining. Today, because it is labor- intensive and expensive, teff has been replaced with refined flours, and most restaurants here cut the teff used in injera with millet or wheat. Teff has its own in- digenous yeast on the grain, so mixing fresh teff flour with water and letting it fer- ment will produce a consistent sourdough batter for injera. With no bitter flavors, teff is quite tasty in stews and breads, and is gluten-free. MILLET This hardy grain has been cultivated in Asia and Africa for six thousand years.
Able to survive with the least amount of water and soil nutrients of any grain,