Toasted Canihua Grain Gruel (Machka)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Canihua grain — 250 g (1 cup)
- Hot water — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Salt — 1 pinch
Method
- Dry-toast the canihua grain on the griddle over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes until deep golden and fragrant; the tiny grains will begin to pop slightly.
- Grind the toasted grain to a fine flour using the grinding stone or a spice grinder.
- Place the flour in a bowl, add the salt, and slowly stir in the hot water until a thick, spoonable gruel forms.
- Rest for 2 minutes before serving so the flour fully hydrates.
Introduction: A dry-toasted flour of canihua grain, stirred into hot water to make a thick, nutty gruel eaten by travellers and highlanders alike as a fast, portable breakfast.
Cultural Background: Canihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule), a close relative of quinoa, is uniquely cold- and frost-hardy and was cultivated at altitudes too extreme for maize or even quinoa; its toasted-flour form (machka/canihuaco) is documented in Andean ethnobotanical and ethnographic literature as a very old, pre-Hispanic preparation still made today in Puno and Bolivia’s altiplano.
Tips: – This flour also travels well completely dry and can be mixed with cold water in the field if hot water is unavailable. – Grind only what you need for the day; toasted flour loses aroma quickly once ground.
Variations: – A thinner, drinkable version can be made with more water, closer to a warm beverage than a gruel. – Modern versions sometimes add milk, a post-conquest addition.
Storage: The toasted, ground flour keeps in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for several weeks; the prepared gruel should be eaten fresh and does not store well once mixed.
Reheating: Not recommended once mixed with water; stir a fresh batch instead, as the texture separates on standing.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 180 kcal, 6 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 5 g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: What does canihua taste like?
A: Toasted, nutty and slightly earthy, similar to toasted buckwheat.
Q: Can quinoa be substituted?
A: Yes, toasted and ground quinoa flour makes a reasonable substitute, though canihua’s flavour is more intensely toasty.
- Canihua grain — 250 g (1 cup)
- Hot water — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Salt — 1 pinch
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