BASIC GRAIN COOKING INFORMATION -
A client wanted basic cooking ideas and instructions on using whole grains, so I thought this might be good for all!
*Take note – much of this is “book” knowledge that I’ve accumulated but that has NOT been tested by me, so don’t hold me responsible for any culinary flops! ha!
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Emergency Preparedness - Food Ideas - GRAINS
Breads/Grains/Cereal/Pasta:
·Purchase grains in food grade safe, plastic pails and keep them cool and dry.
·Do not use plastic garbage bags to store in because some are treated with insecticide.
·I’ve heard bay leaves are a natural bug repellent but be careful not to choke on one!
·Eat a variety of grains.
·Consider sprouting grains as a means of replacing some of the fresh veggies you need. Back-to-Basics carries a wonderful, stack-able, two tray, square sprouting tray that is very inexpensive. I can get it for you. And Frontier has wonderful, organic sprouting seeds that I can get, too. Wheat Montana’s grains all have their sprouting ability, as well.
·If your body is not used to whole grains, start slowly, allowing your digestive system time to adjust.
·Try using 1 part whole grain flour to 2 parts unbleached, organic flour.
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IDEAS FOR USING WHOLE GRAINS -
·grind into flour and use in baking bread, cookies, pasta
·flake or cook whole as a cereal, similar to oatmeal with optional additions such as flavorings (cinnamon) and dried fruit (diced apples, raisins, craisins).
·toss into spagetti sauce or into chili (*bulgar or cracked wheat works especially well for this)
·toss into soup, such as vegetable (pearled barley, millet and brown rice work well in vegetable soup)
·use in place of rice in casseroles
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BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR COOKING WHOLE GRAINS IN WATER -
PRESOAK:
Most whole grains will cook better if you presoak them in water overnight, or 6-8 hours.
Grains should be cooked in the soaking water, but cooking beans in their soaking water can cause stomach upset and gassiness.
Can use broth as a substitute for water when cooking grains or beans.
· Bring water to a boil.
· Add grain.
· Bring to a second boil.
· Reduce heat.
· Cover tightly.
· Simmer until done.
· When grains are done (most are slightly chewy), remove from heat, lift and separate grains gently with a fork to fluff them.
· Re-cover and allow to sit 5-10 minutes before serving.
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Below are some basic grains, any tips on using them, plus the cooking measurements if you want to cook them in water, like rice.
WHEAT:
Hard wheat is best for yeast breads, while soft wheat is best for pastry flour. So, use hard wheat for anything that uses yeast to rise, and soft white for anything using baking powder, or baking soda, to rise.
Basic Instructions on cooking wheat in water like rice -
1 c. hard wheat to 3 c. water; Cook 2 hours unsoaked, or 1 hour soaked.
1 c. soft wheat to 4 c. water; Cook 1 1/2 hours unsoaked, or 1 hour soaked.
OATS:
Oat groats can be used like rice, hot cereal, or ground into flour.
Dry oatmeal can be ground into a crude flour in the blender.
Basic Instructions on cooking oat groats in water -
1/2 c. oat to 1 c. water or milk; simmer 15 minutes; adding more water as necessary. Serve with butter, honey, cinnamon, or raisins.
SPELT:
This is a wheat and oddly enough, it is tolerated by many wheat sensitive people. It’s light, nutty taste works well in salads, pilafs, quick breads, and even yeast breads. When recipes call for 1 c. whole wheat flour, try replacing it with 1 1/4 c. spelt flour or decrease the liquid by 1/4 c..
Doesn’t work in pasta as well as kamut does.
Basic Instructions on cooking spelt in water -
1 c. spelt to 3 c. boiling water or stock. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
MILLET:
A tiny, round, seed-like, bland, gluton-free grain which few are allergic to and is often used as birdseed. Whole millet can be used as a rice substitute, a hot cereal, a pilaf, or in soups and casseroles. When you bake with millet flour, mix it with other grains such as using half whole wheat flour, with the only exception being flatter breads like pancakes,, crepes, waffles. Yeast breads can’t be over 1/5 millet with the rest being wheat, or it won’t rise as well.
Basic Instructions on cooking millet in water -
For hot cereal - 1/2 c. millet to 2 c. water. Simmer 40 minutes.
For a main dish or a rice substitute - 1/2 c. millet to 1 1/2 c. water. Simmer.
RICE:
Comes in long, medium, or short grain, basmatic or sweet rice.
Long grain brown rice is more similar to white rice with it’s fluffier, dryer texture while short grain is chewier and stickier. Medium long grain is somewhere between the two. Basmati has an elegant flavor, and is a long grain brown rice. Sweet rice cooks up sticky. Rice can be ground into flour. It will have a rather grainy texture but can be used in conjunction with wheat flour and barley flour. America’s rice crop is heavily treated with pesticides, so choose organic or "chemical free" like Wheat Montana’s whenever possible.
Basic Instructions on cooking rice in water -
1 c. rice to 2 c. water + 1/2 tsp. Realsalt - Bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed, which is 30 minutes for white rice, and 45 minutes for brown rice. Don’t lift the lid repeatedly, and do not stir but rather poke with fork. Let stand 10 minutes.
KAMUT:
A type of wheat that can be ground into flour and substituted cup for cup with other flours. Creates baked goods lighter in texture and color than those made with whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour. Is suitable for yeast breads as well as quick breads. Many who are allergic to wheat can eat kamut. Makes very light pasta. The berries sprout easily. Whole grains can be flaked to make rolled cereal or cooked whole and used hot or cold, or marinated in salads.
Basic Instructions on cooking kamut in water-
1 c. kamut to 3 c. boiling water. Simmer 2 hours.
BARLEY:
Most commonly available is pearled barley, in which the hull and two hard outer layers have been removed. Some feel that takes away some nutrients and fiber away and they liken it to white rice or white flour, but we like barley and have found it to be excellent when mixed with spelt flour.
Pearled barley works best in soups and stews. Whole hulled barley has the inedible hull and one hard outer layer removed, leaving most of the nutrition intact. Hulled barley can be cooked up as a breakfast cereal, used as a substitute for rice or millet, or ground into a high-gluten flour that can be used for quick bread recipes such as coffee cakes, pancakes, waffles, cakes and cookies. When measuring wheat flour, replace 2 TB of it with barley flour and it will create lighter baked goods.
Basic Instructions on cooking barley in water -
1 c. barley to 4 c. water. Cook 1 hour.
Well, that’s it. I’ve not personally tried all these recipes, but rather have combed every source of information I have, compiling these ideas. I provide it in the hope it blesses your life! :o)
If I can be of service, let me know. You can email me through the "Contact Us" page at the top of the "home page.
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*This information has been double checked for accuracy, and it is offered in the good faith it blesses your life, however, I will not be held responsible in any way for it. Thank you for understanding.
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