Cooked Amaranth (grain) with Brinjal-Tomato Sauce
Posted in Amaranth Grains, Eggplant on 07/05/2007 02:00 pm by mythiliI mentioned in my last post that I will be posting a recipe with Amaranth grain. Here you go. This is also my contribution to JFI : Eggplant hosted by the lovely Sangeetha. JFI is Indira’s concept celebrating naturally found ingredients and it recently crossed the one year milestone. A recap here.
Amaranth Grain:
Believed to be of tremendous traditional siginificance to the Aztecs, Amaranth (meaning “never fading”) is a grain long forgotten. Although its leaves are widely used in many cuisines all over the world, the grain is not really very popular. But there is growing community of Amaranth lovers. Some facts about amaranth grains here. Yes it is a wonder grain.
Update: How does it taste? Amaranth has an earthy, nutty flavor to it. This is my first time cooking amaranth and I did like that taste 
In the U.S. it can be found in any produce store. I found it in the loose bins section @ Whole Foods Groceries.
Cooking amaranth:
- Wash the amaranth grains under running water and keep aside.
- Boil around 1 cup of water. Then add 1 cup of vegetable broth and 1 tsp of salt. Now add 1 cup of amaranth grains. Cover cook for 18 mins; until the grains are soft. Keep aside.
Eggplant – Tomato Sauce:
–ingredients————————————
- Eggplants Green – 10 to 12 (sliced fine)
- Vegetable Broth – 1 cup
- Tomato chopped – 1
- Olive Oil
- Garlic cloves – 1
- Dry Oregano – 1tsp
- Green chillies – 3
- Curry leaves – 2
- 1/2 cup chopped red onions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
–procedure————————————-
- Heat olive oil and add crushed garlic to it. Then add the onions.
- Once the onions become transparent, add the oregano and green chillies.
- Then add the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Cook for 2 mins
- Now add eggplant and cilantro and cover cook for 10 mins.
- Add salt to taste and spoon over the cooked amaranth like so.
Recipe source : Self.
07/05/2007 at 2:51 pm
Never heard of this grain although I grow Amaranth greens at home.Interesting,looks like Polenta.Sauce sounds great too.
07/05/2007 at 3:16 pm
Hey, I never heard about this before. Sounds healthy.
07/05/2007 at 3:46 pm
I have seen this grain in my health food store in large bins. Does this come from the Amaranth plant? How does it taste? Like rava or quinoa? I presume its nutty..
07/05/2007 at 3:55 pm
‘eggplant is the king of vegetables’?
calvin disagrees.
07/05/2007 at 4:10 pm
Asha – It comes from the Amaranth plant. Yes, that sauce is amazing
Lata – Do try it and let me know how you like it.
Suganya – Honey, that’s right. Yes it is seen in a lot of health food stores. Yes, it comes from the Amaranth plant. You guessed it right – it tastes nutty. Silly me, I didn’t write about the taste. After seeing your comment, I updated the post with the flavor of amaranth grain.
Bee – Aww, I know. I read your “meme”. Very enlightening, actually. I can’t put off that Idaho trip anymore … here we come, ready or not
07/05/2007 at 9:44 pm
Thanks Dear
07/06/2007 at 6:42 am
the seeds are from the amaranth plant? So if you planted the grain, you would get amaranth plants
07/06/2007 at 8:26 am
amarnath grain is new to me too
how do u know abt it?
looks delicious
and eggplant curry is cool. never used vegetable broth though
07/06/2007 at 10:36 am
Gini – I think so.. but I am not sure of that.
Raji – This is my first time cooking amaranth. All credit goes to the “loose bins section” in Whole Foods .. Heh ! I always use veg. broth as a subsitute to water … I like it that way. The eggplant sauce tastes great too
07/09/2007 at 5:21 am
looks like a very healthy dish to me!!! the sauce sounds yummy. will try it out sometime.
07/10/2007 at 8:06 pm
Thanks for the recipe myhtili. this looks great. I have been wanting to try it for a long time!D