What amaranth is more useful than other cereals and what dishes to cook from it

About the benefits of amaranth and dishes that are prepared from it, sb.by told the consultant for a healthy lifestyle Svetlana Sinichenko.

The expert noted that amaranth has an excellent protein composition:

- The amount of lysine - an essential amino acid, which is often lacking in the usual cereals - amaranth protein is twice as large as wheat protein. Due to the balanced amino acid composition, the biological value of amaranth protein is 15-18 percent higher than wheat.

The consultant stressed that the number of minerals amaranth overtakes many of the usual cereals:

- It has several times more iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium than in semolina, millet, buckwheat, rice and oatmeal. There's more fiber in it. Due to the absence of gluten, this cereal can be consumed by those who suffer from its intolerance and celiac disease.

Svetlana Sinichenko explained how to properly prepare amaranth:

- First of all, it must be thoroughly washed under running water. The basic ratio for cooking is one part of the cereal to two and a half or three parts of the liquid. Amaranth prefers slow fire and extinguishing under the lid: in this mode, the seeds swell and become like small eggs.

The expert told about the simplest dishes from amaranth:

- The simplest dish is porridge. Washed cereals pour water, bring to a boil and cook on low heat under the lid for about five minutes. Then pour the milk - either regular or vegetable - and languish for another 20-25 minutes, stirring periodically until the porridge is thick and creamy. Serve the finished porridge with honey, berries, fruits or nuts. To taste, amaranth is similar to oatmeal, but with a light nut hue and a denser structure. From amaranth comes an excellent polenta - a traditional Italian dish of corn flour, which in this version is prepared with the addition of amaranth. Combine half a glass of amaranth with half a glass of corn polenta, pour vegetable broth and cook over low heat, often stirring, about 20 minutes before thickening. Then lay out the mass in a mold, cool, cut into triangles and roast until a golden crust. Serve with stew of beans, corn and pepper. Amaranth can also be added to salads or used to make hearty side dishes.

Separately, the consultant stopped at amaranth flour:

- It is rarely used alone because it does not contain gluten. But mixed with wheat or whole grain flour, it is great for bread and cakes. Try to add half a glass of amaranth flour to a glass of ordinary, knead a soft dough in warm water with a spoonful of vegetable oil and bake unleavened cakes in a pan.

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