Thread: Whole grains
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Alex Rast
 
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at Tue, 27 Sep 2005 20:38:05 GMT in <N4i_e.4496$211.4406@trnddc08>,
(KT) wrote :

>Where are people adding whole grains to their diets besides bread?
>


Why not make the basic grains part of the main course, or indeed the
central item, for lunch and/or dinner? Barley, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat,
and quinoa grains as well as the standard rice and corn make all sorts of
great dishes. You can do variants on the pilaf theme with barley, wheat,
quinoa, and buckwheat. Meanwhile, you can make various risotto-like dishes
with barley, rye, and oats. The basic idea is simply to simmer the grains
in an appropriate amount of water and/or stock. Then you add to them
whatever you feel like adding - vegetables, beans, meats, you name it. Some
basic grains can form the bulk component of a stew and make good additions
to soups as well. (barley, wheat, and rye are generally the best choices
here). How they turn out is largely a matter of water ratios, cooking
temperatures, and whether you add the grain to the liquid when it's cold or
hot. Generally:

More water makes for a creamier consistency. The true grains - wheat,
barley, rye, and oats, work better with this method than other grains which
tend to turn into a lumpy, gummy mass. "More" is in the range of 3-4 cups
water per cup of grain. Barley takes the most (4) and wheat probably works
best with the least (3).

Less water makes a dry, somewhat fluffy consistency. Here, it's the grains
like quinoa and buckwheat which tend to turn out best. Quinoa you can
substitute almost straight across for long-grain rice. Buckwheat has its
own uses - especially in Eastern European recipes. Oats don't work well
with this technique and will become *very* solid and chewy. "Less" is in
the range of 1 1/2-2 cups of water per cup of grain. Buckwheat you really
need to use the lower range or else it sort of dissolves. Quinoa will take
more, but overdoing it (going to, say, 3 cups) turns it into a leaden lump.

Cooking at low heat, especially if the grain is added when the water is
cold, makes for creamier results and a softer grain. Oats and barley are
particularly successful cooked in this way. It's convenient to use a crock-
pot to do grains like this and makes for hearty, low-effort winter meals.

Meanwhile, cooking at high heat, like one does for rice where the water is
rapidly brought to a boil, makes for a fluffier texture, mandatory for
quinoa and buckwheat, also successful with wheat (which can be done either
creamy or fluffy) If you bring the water to a boil first, then add the
grain, you get the ultimate, fluffiest results. That's especially important
with long-grain rice and it also yields the very best texture for quinoa.

After that it's a matter of experimentation to find out which grains you
like and what cooking tactics produce the results you prefer.
--
Alex Rast

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