Quinoa earns its place in a long-life cupboard on protein rather than on fashion, and it cooks in fifteen minutes, which is faster than any rice here.
- Rinse it. The natural coating is bitter and this is the one non-negotiable step. Thirty seconds in a sieve or swirled in a mug of water and drained.
- Into the pan with twice its volume of water and the dried onion. Lid on, fifteen minutes, then five minutes off the heat still covered.
- Almonds toasted in a dry pan while it stands, ninety seconds, watched constantly.
- Forked through with the drained chickpeas, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, oil, lemon, cumin and pepper.
- Almonds over at the end so they stay crisp.
The grains should be separate with a visible white ring uncurled from each one. If it is claggy it had too much water, not too little time.
Serves 3.