Question
Larry Shearer
I often cook a cup of quinoa to have on hand for salads etc. Like rice, should I spread this out and cool quickly prior to refrigerating? It is such a small amount to work with.
Answer
So, um, a cup of uncooked canoa translates to, you know, close to three times that, that's the, the general calculation for grains and beans, you know, in which case we've, we've got that much grain or, so, um, you know, I I, I would certainly spread it out just a little bit, uh, you know, on a, on a sheet pan. And, uh, let it sit out for, uh, you know, several for let's say 20, 30 minutes or so. Uh, just to play it on the safe side, I think, um, you know, if you were to, to, to bundle up, you know, three cups of, uh, of grain, um, that it could be a fairly dense package that you're putting into the refrigerator, and, um, just depending on the situation, it could take a little while to cool down all the way to the center of the container. Um, but it also depends on the shape of the container. Um, many containers are short, you know, with a wide footprint, uh, in which case, um, just, you know, by its, uh, design, the food will end up being spread out and, uh, cool a little bit quicker. Another thing to consider is, as you put, um, you know, food into a container, uh, you can always leave the lid off in the refrigerator for an hour or two to allow it to, uh, cool down before you place the lid on it. Okay? So, you know, that's another option. Uh, but you're right, it is a pretty small quantity. Um, there's not, uh, much concern, I would say, really, uh, you know, in, in most situations in terms of, um, uh, a, a problem, you know, with, um, with a foodborne illness. Okay? But, uh, uh, it is always a good, uh, practice to, to try to hasten that process along, you know, even if it means some other, uh, uh, means such as leaving the lid off the container.
