Chieftain^® Wild Rice Company

AMARANTH

Description:

The name Amaranth hails from the Greek for "never-fading flower." Amaranth was a staple in the diets of ancient Aztecs and Incas who believed it had supernatural powers.  Known by many names; Kiwicha in the Andes, Huautli by the Aztecs, this grain was a part of religious ceremonies and also used in the making of religious statues.  Amaranth grains are actually the seeds of a broad leaf herb plant.  Each plant is capable of producing 40,000 to 60,000 seeds.  Amaranth grains or seeds are tiny and lens shaped, just smaller than a mustard seed.  The colors of the seeds are golden cream with some occasional flecks of black colored seeds.  Amaranth seed is high in protein and fiber; it also contains calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and Vitamins A and C.  Using Amaranth in combination with wheat, corn or brown rice results in a complete protein as high in food value as fish, red meat or poultry.  When cooked Amaranth has a chewy texture making it popular as a hot breakfast cereal.  The seeds are flavorful, mildly sweet and nutty with a corn like aroma and woodsy peppery taste.   Amaranth is very versatile; it can be used as a substitute for wheat and can be used as a nutrient dense thickening agent in soups and stews.

Suggested Use:

Amaranth can be cooked as a cereal, ground into flour and used in making pastas and baked goods.  It must be mixed with other flours for baking yeast breads, as it contains no gluten.  Amaranth can be popped like popcorn, sprouted, or toasted, added to cold salads or used instead of rice with stir-fry.  Use Amaranth to bread pork, fish or chicken.