Step 1

Bring water to boil.  Heat the water over high heat in a saucepan until it is boiling.

Step 2

Simmer the quinoa.  Add the quinoa, salt (plus any optional aromatics, see below) and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a vigorous simmer.  Cook the quinoa for 12-15 minutes, or until it is chewy and tender to the taste and looks translucent.  (The white curlicue germs should also be poking out from the seeds.)

Step 3

Drain the quinoa.  Drain the quinoa completely through a fine-mesh strainer.

Step 4

Steam the quinoa.  Tranfer the quinoa back to the saucepan.  Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a clean dishtowel, and rest for 5-10 minutes so that the quinoa can steam.

Step 5

Fluff and season the quinoa.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork.  Taste, and season with extra salt if needed.

Step 6

Serve warm.  Serve and enjoy!