How to Cook Buckwheat (Kasha)

I have never heard of this with buckwheat specifically, but have witnessed it occurring first hand with rice & barley over my 20+ years of a grain based diet.

I suspect that as part of the commercial processing of buckwheat in Russia they might treat the buckwheat with something like Albumin, which might explain why off the shelf Russian buckwheat doesn't require the egg step. I could be wrong, of course, and maybe they just grow a different variety there that doesn't require that step. I plan to research a bit and will post if/when I find out for sure.

I compared my homegrown buckwheat to some from Eastern Europe that a friend sent me. My buckwheat (and perhaps the other that you get in the U.S.) is very fragile compared to the European. I can crush my buckwheat between my fingers with enough force and it turns to powder. The European buckwheat is more the consistency of a hard dried corn kernel and there is no way I can crush with my fingers.

I read and heard from some people that apparently the Eastern Europeans roast their buckwheat using "super heated steam." My guess is that it has the effect of fusing the otherwise powdery inside of the buckwheat into something more the consistency of hard dried corn. I'm not a biochemist, but the combination of the moisture and high temperatures create this effect.

Unfortunately I can't replicate this at home, so I'm left with other ways to achieve a similar goal, which is to prevent the powdery inside from being released into the pot before it can congeal into a puffy cooked groat.

After several attempts using different methods, I've concluded that, as some others have said, it is critical to put the buckwheat into boiling or near boiling water, rather than cool water to start. The cool water immediately penetrates the outside of the groat and when it starts to heat, it breaks apart most of the groats and turns to mush.

Coating with egg helps somewhat, but not absolutely necessary as the improved result is incrementally smaller than the effect of hot/cool water. The egg coating just helps create a seal around the groat, to allow the inside to absorb water at a slower pace and hold together long enough to create that puffy white cooked groat.

With the Eastern European buckwheat, water temperature and with/without egg probably doesn't matter at all or very much because their groats are so much more durable. The caveat I mentioned is that I'm not absolutely sure that the super heated steam is making the kernel more durable, as I don't have access to the groats they use before roasting. It is also possible that they use a different variety, or that maybe the moisture content of their groats are higher than what I grew, so that in the natural drying process, they are more durable by their nature.

If I'm ever able to successfully contact one of the processors I'll find out and post something. I'm happy, at least, that I can replicate the texture of the finished Eastern European product, albeit with having to use more care. The plus side might be that my more "natural" processing might perhaps preserve more of the nutritional value than the commercial steam roasting process.

Any out there use a rice cooker for buckwheat?

First, set a pot with 2 cups of water on high to boil on the first burner. Measure out your 1 cup of buckwheat into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk an egg.

On the second burner, saute some sliced mushrooms with chopped garlic & onion in a scant tsp of butter mixed with a tsp of schmaltz (chicken fat).

Then on the third burner, place a heavy pan on medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles and spits back at you, pour the buckwheat into the pan and stir around with a fork. Pour in the whisked egg and quickly, continuously, mix the buckwheat with the egg. Stir it around until the egg completely dries out (cooks onto the buckwheat).

At that point the water should be boiled, so pour it into the pan with the buckwheat. Add the mushrooms, onion & garlic, then stir to mix with the buckwheat. Put the lid on the pan and lower the heat to just barely above the "low" setting. Leave it alone for 15-20 minutes. Don't peek! Leave the lid on the pan.

After the 15-20 minutes, remove the lid. If all the water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and leave in the pan for another 5 minutes before serving.

After it is on the plate, then you can add your salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and any other seasoning you like, to your taste.

I have never heard of this with buckwheat specifically, but have witnessed it occurring first hand with rice & barley over my 20+ years of a grain based diet.

I suspect that as part of the commercial processing of buckwheat in Russia they might treat the buckwheat with something like Albumin, which might explain why off the shelf Russian buckwheat doesn't require the egg step. I could be wrong, of course, and maybe they just grow a different variety there that doesn't require that step. I plan to research a bit and will post if/when I find out for sure.

I compared my homegrown buckwheat to some from Eastern Europe that a friend sent me. My buckwheat (and perhaps the other that you get in the U.S.) is very fragile compared to the European. I can crush my buckwheat between my fingers with enough force and it turns to powder. The European buckwheat is more the consistency of a hard dried corn kernel and there is no way I can crush with my fingers.

I read and heard from some people that apparently the Eastern Europeans roast their buckwheat using "super heated steam." My guess is that it has the effect of fusing the otherwise powdery inside of the buckwheat into something more the consistency of hard dried corn. I'm not a biochemist, but the combination of the moisture and high temperatures create this effect.

Unfortunately I can't replicate this at home, so I'm left with other ways to achieve a similar goal, which is to prevent the powdery inside from being released into the pot before it can congeal into a puffy cooked groat.

After several attempts using different methods, I've concluded that, as some others have said, it is critical to put the buckwheat into boiling or near boiling water, rather than cool water to start. The cool water immediately penetrates the outside of the groat and when it starts to heat, it breaks apart most of the groats and turns to mush.

Coating with egg helps somewhat, but not absolutely necessary as the improved result is incrementally smaller than the effect of hot/cool water. The egg coating just helps create a seal around the groat, to allow the inside to absorb water at a slower pace and hold together long enough to create that puffy white cooked groat.

With the Eastern European buckwheat, water temperature and with/without egg probably doesn't matter at all or very much because their groats are so much more durable. The caveat I mentioned is that I'm not absolutely sure that the super heated steam is making the kernel more durable, as I don't have access to the groats they use before roasting. It is also possible that they use a different variety, or that maybe the moisture content of their groats are higher than what I grew, so that in the natural drying process, they are more durable by their nature.

If I'm ever able to successfully contact one of the processors I'll find out and post something. I'm happy, at least, that I can replicate the texture of the finished Eastern European product, albeit with having to use more care. The plus side might be that my more "natural" processing might perhaps preserve more of the nutritional value than the commercial steam roasting process.

Any out there use a rice cooker for buckwheat?

First, set a pot with 2 cups of water on high to boil on the first burner. Measure out your 1 cup of buckwheat into a bowl. In another bowl, whisk an egg.

On the second burner, saute some sliced mushrooms with chopped garlic & onion in a scant tsp of butter mixed with a tsp of schmaltz (chicken fat).

Then on the third burner, place a heavy pan on medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles and spits back at you, pour the buckwheat into the pan and stir around with a fork. Pour in the whisked egg and quickly, continuously, mix the buckwheat with the egg. Stir it around until the egg completely dries out (cooks onto the buckwheat).

At that point the water should be boiled, so pour it into the pan with the buckwheat. Add the mushrooms, onion & garlic, then stir to mix with the buckwheat. Put the lid on the pan and lower the heat to just barely above the "low" setting. Leave it alone for 15-20 minutes. Don't peek! Leave the lid on the pan.

After the 15-20 minutes, remove the lid. If all the water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and leave in the pan for another 5 minutes before serving.

After it is on the plate, then you can add your salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and any other seasoning you like, to your taste.