The birthplace of buckwheat, which has been put up on a pedestal by the Russians, is actually India, but it is a fact, for reasons unknown, that it is less popular in India. Most likely because for centuries it was considered a food of the poor.
The fact is, buckwheat is abundant in valuable nutrients and is also an ecologically clean product. No matter where you sow it, you won't see any weeds around it, meaning you won't have to spray it with pesticides either.
But in recent times, buckwheat has been gaining ever more popularity, regardless of whether you find it under this name or the Russian one - grechka. Besides being extremely healthy, if you learn how to prepare it it can serve as an addition to soups, a basis for salads, main courses, baked pastries and even desserts.
Like rice, buckwheat is not difficult to prepare, just be familiar with the following:
- Wash the buckwheat thoroughly before boiling it so that the hulls and any debris are removed.
- Having washed the buckwheat, it's a good idea to leave it in a colander to drain (in a sunny area if possible).
- Choose a thick bottomed pot when boiling buckwheat and make sure the lid closes tightly. To have the buckwheat turn out delicious, it needs to steam-boil rather than actually boil in the water.
- The traditional ratio of buckwheat to water is 1:2 but if you would like it cooked a bit more and to have it in the form of porridge (such as for adding to vegetable purees), you can use more water.
- If preparing buckwheat for adults, it's best to boil it in water that has been salted beforehand but if using it for baby foods, it's best not to use salt.
- Buckwheat needs to boil on high heat for about 5 min., then on medium heat for about 7 and on the lowest stove setting - for about 3 min.
- Once the buckwheat is boiled, remove it from the stove but don't take the lid off, instead place a towel on the lid and leave it to sit as is for about 15 min.
- Depending on what you intend to make with buckwheat, you can wash it with cold water. That way the seeds separate and won't look like a porridge.
Let us offer you several appetizing recipes with buckwheat to try: carp with buckwheat, croquettes from buckwheat and mushrooms, moussaka with buckwheat, zucchini with buckwheat, buckwheat pancakes.
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