Quinoa

Method

1. prep2 min
   rinsed in the fine-mesh sieve until the foam stops
   under running water, rubbed with fingers — the foam is saponin, the seed's natural insect repellent, and it tastes exactly like insect repellent should; this rinse is why some people think they hate quinoa and other people rinse
2. toast2 min
   in the dry pot with the oil, until it smells nutty
   the drained quinoa stirred in the oil until it dries and smells like popcorn's serious cousin — the optional-but-published minute that separates a side dish from a base ingredient
3. simmer15 min
   liquid + salt, boiled then lowest heat, lid on
   brought to a boil, dropped to a whisper, covered — done when the germ rings pop free as tiny spirals and the liquid is gone; the spirals are quinoa's built-in doneness indicator, a courtesy no other grain extends
4. rest8 min
   off heat, lid on, then fluffed
   the rice chapter's rest rule, applied — then forked loose, lemon over if it's headed somewhere savory; keeps five days and joins the burrito bowl, the salads, and half the meal-prep genre from here