Two methods of making a pilaf--what's the difference?

[ratsrcute]

I have several recipes for quinoa pilaf. I'm a cooking newbie, so I noticed something and I would like to know why the recipes do this. Most of these recipes call for sauteing onions as part of the pilaf, but one recipe has you do this in the saucepan first, then add the quinoa and simmer it together with the onions, while another recipe has you simmer the quinoa by itself, saute the onions separately and add them at the end. I can't recall the taste difference since I only made these once, but I was wondering if there's some kind of general theoretical principle that explains the difference in taste, and why you would use one or the other.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[miniman]

One difference is when you saute the onion and quinoa together, the onion flavoured is absorbed by the quinoa as it cooks, helping to blend the flavours. If you mix them after cooking the flavours are differentiated and gives you a combination of flavours which blend in your mouth.