Amaranth Recipes: Popped Seeds Are A Popular Snack!

In the adjacent post, we mentioned that the seeds of Callaloo (also known as Amaranth), are also used much like those of its kissing cousin, Quinoa. But did you know Amaranth seeds can be popped like Popcorn?

What it is…

Amaranth was first used by the Aztec civilization about 4,000 BC. They consi-dered it a staple food as well as an es-sential part of religious ceremonies. The seeds were popped like popcorn and mixed with honey or other sweeteners to create a popular treat. As the Aztec Empire expanded, so did the popularity of Amarnth, across Mesoamerica.

And it’s said the Invading Spanish Con-quistadores loved this nutty, flavourful snack as much as the indigenous peo-ple, once they tasted it.

It’s a small world, after all…

Amaranth seeds look – for all the world – like mini popping corn kernels before you pop them. And ‘finished’ mini pop-corn (see photo, left) when they’ve been properly prepared.

So similar are popcorn (as we know it) and popped Amaranth seed, tips and recommendations for the latter are equally recommended for the former all through the source story for today’s today’s post…

Delightfully versatile

Like its cousin Quinoa, Amaranth seed can be used in a whole broad range of applications from a crunchy topping for desserts salads and other dishes, to a breakfast cereal, to a porridge, as well as a stand-in for pasta (think Couscous) or rice.

In particular, it can be used in place of puffed rice cereal in dessert and snack recipes (think Rice Crispies Treats).

On top everything else, it’s gluten free.

Amaranth tips…

Amaranth seeds are at least as ‘pop-0-lific’ as popping corn. One cup of Amaranth will yield about three cups of popped product.

It is particularly rich in iron. One cup of cooked Amaranth delivers 29 percent of your recommended iron daily intake.

Chef Usha Rao, author of the source recipe, says you can use an air popper to puff Amaranth. Which is a good option, because these seeds are somewhat smaller than popcorn kernels. And therefore, more temperature-sensitive. In fact, Rao says it may take some practice to make perfect popped Amaranth – without burning it.

My take

Popped Amaranth seed sounds like a whole new dimension of crunchy flavour – and cooking fun in general!

One point that could have been accorded greater emphasis in the source materials I absorbed while creating this post is… Like Quinoa, Amaranth delivers a complete dietary protein. And that’s a rare, beautiful thing for folks who’ve already gone vegetarian or vegan, or are experimenting with shifting from animal to plant protein.

~ Maggie J.