New Ingredient: Buckwheat

I've worked with buckwheat flour before, but not the whole groats.  They're popular in many countries, and a staple food in Russia.  Super King had a two-pound bag on special, so I figured I'd give a new grain a try.

Technically, buckwheat is a seed, like quinoa.  And like quinoa, it's a good source of protein and fiber without gluten.  It's highly nutritious, and grows in terrible soil.  It's recommended to use as a cover crop between plantings to inhibit weed growth, and only requires three months to reach maturity, making it ideal for short growing seasons up north.  Buckwheat also hates nitrogen fertilizer, so when American farmers started adding it as a common practice, they had to give up the crop.

There are two ways to cook buckwheat.  The first is like rice.  Simmer for 15 minutes and it's ready.  The more traditional way, and the way that makes the most nutrients bioavailable, is low and slow.  You can emulate the brick oven method in two ways in a modern kitchen.  One is to set your oven to its lowest setting, generally around 200-225º F, and let it cook all day in a covered cast-iron or clay pot.  That's how I like to do baked beans.  The other method is my new go-to, the slow cooker.  That wonderful tool when you don't have all day to make dinner.

The cooked texture is rice-like.  The smell is earthy, and definitely the same as buckwheat flour.  The taste is a little bland.  I just put in a pinch of salt, and it needed help.  Cooking it in broth would add more flavor.  I could see a light drizzle of soy sauce improving it.  I'll have to experiment.

1 C roasted buckwheat groats
2 C water
pinch of salt

1.  If you bought non-roasted buckwheat, start by lightly toasting it in a dry pan.

2.  Rinse grains.  Add in a pot or slow-cooker with water and salt.

3.  For slow cooker, set to low for 4-6 hours or keep warm for 8+.  In oven, set to 200ºF if possible, and cook until water is absorbed, about 4 hours.  To simmer on stove, bring to a boil briefly, lower heat to simmer, and cook 15 minutes.

4.  Fluff up the grains, which will also let you check that the water is absorbed.  Serve hot, in soups, or chilled in salads.

Difficulty rating  π