Need a Fine Sieve to Rinse Quinoa
A kitchen store employee suggested that I use "food grade silicon caulk" to seal the rim of the fine sieve I purchased to rinse quinoa. The dry grain was getting stuck under the rim and swelling, making it impossible to remove. I have looked for a replacement fine sieve and they all look like they are made the same. I am uneasy about the suggestion. I would appreciate your input. Thank you
Silicon caulk is toxic when applied, but does cure to be nontoxic as the solvents evaporate. If you are going to use it, do use one that is food grade as it is especially designed to be food safe to FDA standards (though I don't always agree with them).
You might want to search the internet, if you haven't already, for "fine sieve." I just did and found various styles. I don't know which you are using, and I don't rinse quinoa, so I don't know what to suggest. Perhaps a reader will respond.
I just remembered my grandmother rinsing rice, washing the starch off by rubbing it between her hands. At the end she just poured off the water through one hand, leaving the grain in the bowl. Sometimes our hands are the simplest tools and work just fine.
Or line a bowl with cheesecloth and pour the quinoa through.
Think "outside the sieve" on this one.
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Comments
Quinoa that has been pre-rinsed can be bought in stores. Ancient Harvest is one brand that is already rinsed. If the quinoa has not been pre-rinsed, then it will need to be rinsed completely, to remove the very bitter saponins. It tastes terrible if not totally rinsed off. It is much easier to read the labels to find the pre-rinsed brands. I really like whole quinoa and quinoa flakes. I have Celiac and I'm allergic to corn, so quinoa is one of my staple foods.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
Well, thank you for explaining that. Quinoa is new to me, and none of the instructions I looked at mentioned this. So I didn't rinse and it tasted terrible. I'll look for the pre-rinsed and try it again. It's very nutritious. Thanks!
I thought I'd follow up on my question by saying that I rinse my quinoa because all the sources I read said that it is necessary to rinse because most quinoa contains a bitter coating that must be rinsed very well to be removed. I have never eaten quinoa without first rinsing it so I can't say from my own experience if this is true. Thank you for your help.
Hi Debra, I am just curious: you don't rinse quinoa for a specific reason, or you just don't eat it?
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
I don't eat quinoa, not for a specific reason, but because I don't like the way it tastes. I've gotten out of the habit of eating grains, so I'm not looking for a substitute for a "starch" on my plate.
I experimented with quinoa and when I did that I did research on how to cook it. None of the sources I read mentioned rinsing it, though some people may rinse it to remove dust or whatever.
Quinoa is a nutritious seed and I see no reason not to eat it if you enjoy it. I may find some method of preparation one day, but it's not on the top of my list. I get all the nutrients it contains from other sources.
There's no need to rinse quinoa at all.