If you enjoy cooking with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), then you’ll be interested to learn how to use it best. This week Martha Rose Shulman explores the proper uses of this popular grain.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how best to use quinoa, in part because of some misguided dishes I’ve recently had in restaurants.

Note to chefs: Quinoa doesn’t work as a risotto. It doesn’t have enough starch for the broth, which is what makes a good risotto creamy. Quinoa also has a grassy flavor and a texture that ranges from fluffy — too fluffy for risotto — to granular.

Quinoa is perfect, however, for a salad. It can be the main ingredient, or it can play alongside lettuces and other greens. Quinoa works very well as a pilaf, but think about adding vegetables that will complement its grassy flavor. I often add cooked quinoa to baked goods like muffins and breads, and this week I added it to my son’s habitual whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes.

Here are five great ways to cook with quinoa.

Quinoa and Beet Pilaf: This beautiful pink pilaf, made with pearl white quinoa, uses both roasted beets and their greens.

Rainbow Quinoa Tabbouleh: Quinoa lends itself to lemony salads, and the rainbow mix is particularly nice because each type of quinoa has a slightly different texture.

Quinoa, Lentil Sprout and Arugula Salad: Use lentil or sunflower sprouts, which have a peppery flavor, in this well-textured salad.

Quinoa and Chard Cakes: These delightful “burgers” can be served as a main dish or side, and made with spinach in place of chard.

Quinoa Pancakes: The addition of cooked quinoa to regular buttermilk pancake batter results in a thick, moist pancake that’s hefty but not heavy.