Kasha (Buckwheat)

   It seems like we are hearing about all these "new" ancient grains like quinoa, spelt and wheat berries. The reason they are becoming so trendy and popular is that not only are they good for us but they have great flavour and texture. I've noticed that even that big box store has kilo bags of these grains.
   I don't know how long it will last as a trend but for me, I don't think I ever want to go back to plain old boring rice.

   I am a big fan of spelt and kamut and wheat berries.  I cook them in my rice cooker and eat them hot in place of rice or potatoes.  I let them cool, add veggies and a vinaigrette and I've got a salad.
   My newest "discovery" is buckwheat. Ukrainians call it kasha and use it in a variety of recipes including cabbage rolls.
   The first time I made it, I got distracted, overcooked it and it burst open to reveal a tender white interior. This isn't what I had in mind so I started again.  But I didn't want to waste the buckwheat so I put it in the fridge until I could decide what to do with it.  The next morning, I took a couple of scoops and microwaved it.  I added some nuts and dried fruit and topped it with yogurt. It was delicious.
If you want some ideas about what to do with your kasha, you can look here.
The recipe below will result in a kasha that holds its shape and is a little chewy.  A very nice texture.

* Untoasted buckwheat is a pale greenish-white and has a mild taste. Toasted buckwheat aka kasha is dark brown with an earthy flavour due to the toasting.

If you have buckwheat, you can toast it yourself for more flavour. 

To toast buckwheat:

Heat pot. Add 1 cup buckwheat, and stir constantly until toasted to your liking.

* Remember to wash the buckwheat before cooking and sort out the bad grains. 

* Try packaging 1-cup portions in baggies and storing them in the freezer. They take a minute or less to thaw in the microwave.

Kasha

1 tbsp butter

1 large egg

1 cup whole kasha

2 cups boiling water

black pepper, freshly ground.

You will need a medium sized pot with tight fitting lid.

Put butter into 2 cups boiling water.

In a medium sized pot, combine the kasha and egg.

Cook, stirring constantly until the egg has dried and the kasha kernels are separate, about 3 minutes.

Carefully and slowly pour the boiling water with butter into the pan. 

The pan will be hot so there will be a shot of steam as you add the water. 

Be careful.

Stir to combine and cover.

Simmer over low heat until all of the water has been absorbed (10 minutes)

Fluff with a fork.

Taste and season with pepper and more salt if needed.

If desired, mix with fried onions.