Buckwheat

2017 Update: Due to a problem with Photobucket, see here, there will be a lot of recipes without photos. I will be slowly redoing the recipe pages, as best I can, but many other posts will be impossible to replace. I’m doing this in my own time, while continuing to update the blog with new recipes and posts. If you’d like to donate, any amount appreciated, you can do so here. The site will always be free, the recipes will never be locked behind a paywall, but this is a lot of additional work. I’m not demanding or begging, just putting it there so if you feel like repaying my hard work you have that option. I don’t make any money from the site, all that I do here is to help others, I couldn’t charge for that.

 

2nd March 2017 Update

Okay two new twists already. First I want to thank Dolly from Kool Kosher Kitchen for the toasting before cooking tip. It makes a world of difference to the flavour of the cooked buckwheat, imparting a slightly nutty flavour hat pairs well with the addition of nut butter. Thank you Dolly, or rather, Dolly’s Grandmother. The second I have to thank, why, me! I took my Cashew Butter Amaranth and gave it a try with buckwheat and though it didn’t work quite the same magic it did give the buckwheat just the right taste and texture to boost it as a side. I made it with the toasted buckwheat, but I imagine either could work. So, two new options already and buckwheat continues to amaze and astound the culinary world. Or mine at least. The nut butter, paste for want of a better term, seems to work on soft seed/grains, ones with a mushier consistency, as I found it didn’t work with quinoa.

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Oh, yes, dear reader, I’m still working hard for your benefit, okay, mine. My head is not swollen from my fame. What fame? Shush. You read that right! Buckwheat, just buckwheat, I finally found gluten free groats in the shop, with a short expiration date because they aren’t going to do me any favours. Now, you may say, can you really do anything I haven’t seen with buckwheat before? Well, firstly let me say this: I will start at the bottom and learn everything I can, even if the information is already out then it means nothing to me until I master it myself and until I do I won’t share it with you. Secondly, let me say this: Do you know who I am?! I’m Jack of all (Pseudo) Grains! You know quinoa? Yeah, I’ve done so many things with quinoa. I even have crusty quinoa bread! Pah! Amaranth? Old pig-weed and I are as close as the Aztecs and sacrifi…er, amaranth. No problem. You remember kaniwa? That’s a trick question, no one does, but I used the quinoa-like seed and it was pretty meh. We don’t talk about kaniwa. So you ask if I can use buckwheat well? Can I do amazing things with the groats? You know what I say? Maybe. Heh. Come on, dear reader, you know me. I’m willing to try and the flour has been a rip-roaring success for me. I’m used to these seeds as sides and I don’t see buckwheat stumping me, but as I say I’ll start slow, probably repeat a lot of recipes you’ve seen before, but I’ll enjoy it and you’ll reap the benefit of my tests. Win-win eh?

They look pretty much the same raw and cooked.

So, buckwheat, the groats are surprisingly fast to cook. I’d have imagined them to be tough and take a long time, but no. They are like quinoa in that here isn’t much taste and a little goes a long way. I used a half cup’s worth, but I’ll list the equivalent of a quarter which seems just right. The package recipe suggested a cup, but that’d be way too much for one. What I like is the size, they’re the largest gluten-free seed you can prepare like this (Right?). They are really tender when cooked too, which is nice. They still have a pleasant bite though. This is a savoury side preparation, I will try porridge too, but for now this is the way I want this. Not much to say here, they’ll differ depending on what you serve them with. Use them as you would quinoa, potatoes, any side really. This is just the beginning so keep an eye out. I’ve run through what feels like all the possibilities of buckwheat as a flour, it never really stops though so have no fear, and now I’ll see what uses I’ll find for the seeds. See you again soon.

Ingredients

45g or 1/4 Cup of Raw Buckwheat
180ml (3/4 Cup) Water

Optional: Add Butter and Salt to taste after cooking.

Method

1. Put the Buckwheat and Water into the pot and bring to boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Alternately: Add the Buckwheat Groats to the pot with a drizzle of Olive Oil and then toast on a medium heat until fragrant, lightly golden ad just starting to pop. Then just cook as normal.

2. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork and then serve.

Variations

Cashew Buckwheat: Cook Buckwheat as normal. While Buckwheat is cooking mix together: 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp Cashew Butter, a Pinch Sea Salt and Black Pepper until a smooth Paste is formed. Stir Paste into to Buckwheat just before serving.

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