Quinoa

Here in Kembuchi Town, several farmers have spent seven years establishing a method for growing quinoa and have succeeded in turning it into a food product.
It is grown and processed in the town and sold in a form that can be used as food as it is.
It can be purchased at roadside stations (in Kembuchi Town and Shibetsu City) and at AEON supermarkets in Hokkaido (some stores in the northern region of Hokkaido).
It can also be obtained through various mail order sites.

Quinoa is a plant native to South America, and belongs to the subfamily of the Asclepiadaceae, which includes spinach and beet (sugar radish).
It is a member of the same family as spinach and beet (sugar radish). Agronomically, it is classified as a minor grain.
Locally, it has been eaten for thousands of years.
It has gradually spread to other parts of the world and is also eaten in the Middle East and Africa.
An Egyptian colleague of mine in my company says that he also used it as one of the ingredients when he was in Egypt.

Since it is a minor cereal, its main component is starch, which is a source of energy for the human body, but it also contains many types of protein (various amino acids) and minerals in good balance, and is called a “super food.
There have not been many cases of allergy due to quinoa.
Quinoa can be boiled and eaten as is, but the taste is not very distinctive and the grains are small, so it is not very satisfying on its own.
So, if you add it to other foods such as rice or beans when you cook or boil them, it will add a new texture to the base ingredients, and you can enjoy eating it.
Compared to other minor grains (such as millet and millet), it is not too hard and has a milder taste, so it can be added to salads and other dishes and still taste good.
In addition, roasted quinoa, a new addition to the product line, has already been heat processed, so it can be eaten as a topping for other dishes.
It is crispy and has a very pleasant texture.

Quinoa is widely eaten overseas.
It is in constant demand in Japan as well, and upscale supermarkets in major cities sell quinoa produced overseas.
Domestic production has not spread to the point where it can be found in supermarkets nationwide due to the amount of production.

In Japan, Kenbuchi Town is the largest producer of quinoa, but it is also grown in Otogi Town, Hokkaido; Uenohara City, Yamanashi Prefecture; and Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Please try it for yourself.
It will open up a new world for you.