Quinoa Pork Soup - Sopa De Quinua Con Chancho - Ecuador - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground annatto seed (or sweet paprika)
1/2 cup chopped scallion (white part and 1-inch of the green)
1 cup finely chopped leek (white part and 1-inch of the green)
1 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (5-6 oz)
4 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste with 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 lb lean pork, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 cups hot water
1 lb waxy potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup cooked quinoa (see instructions below)
1/4 unsalted dry roasted peanuts (or 1/4 cup natural peanut butter)
1 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
8 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper
fresh parsley leaves, minced, for garnish

Preparation

Heat the oil in a heavy 4-qt. sauce pan over low heat. Stir in the annatto or paprika, then add the scallions, leeks, tomato, garlic paste, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium, add the pork cubes and cook for a couple of minutes, tossing so they are well coated with the vegetable mixture.
Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, pick through the quinoa to remove any impurities. Place it into a large sieve or a small-holed strainer and immerse the sieve or strainer into a large pot of cold water. Rub the quinoa between your hands until the water is cloudy. Lift the sieve or strainer out and discard the water. Repeat this process until the water remains clear. It is very important to wash the quinoa well, or it will be bitter.
Bring 1 1/3 c water to a boil. Add quinoa, stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer. It should have absorbed the water in about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff a bit with a fork. Set quinoa aside.
Puree the peanuts or peanut butter with the milk. Set aside.
Add the potatoes, quinoa, and peanut puree. Partially cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the peas, basil and cayenne, and cook for a couple of minutes to heat the peas through.
Taste for seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with the parsley.