Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [16]
The term wild rice comes from riz sauvage, coined by early French explorers. Native Americans revered wild rice as a “gift from the Great Spirit.” The Ojibwe people referred to it as manoomin, which translates as “the good berry.” Harvesting of wild rice is regulated in Minnesota and Canada to protect the way of life of Native American communities and to preserve the wild rice beds.
Commercial cultivation started in the early 1960s when demand outgrew the traditional labor-intensive harvest. Cultivated seeds are generally shiny and more uniformly dark, while “wild” wild rice has a mottled brownish look with an intense smoky aroma, the result of traditional parching over an open fire.
The intense nuttiness of wild rice and its distinct chewy texture are its main appeal. It is also higher in fiber and protein than brown rice. While it is always a pricey addition to your dinner table, you can enjoy it on occasion—or combine it with less expensive varieties to create your own blend.
Kitchen Basics for Whole Grains
Cooking whole grains is no more difficult than boiling pasta. There is nothing truly challenging about it. In fact, many can be prepared so easily that you will probably ask yourself why you’ve never tried before. It is just a matter of getting used to their different characters.
Over the years, I have found it most useful to divide whole grains into two groups. Quick-cooking whole grains can be on the table without much effort, in anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes at most. Slow-cooking whole grains, on the other hand, are easiest when prepared ahead on a leisurely weekend or the night before. And while ready-made whole grain products such as instant brown rice never match the flavor and texture of home-cooked, by all means use them when in a hurry. Most important, enjoy exploring the vast variety, colors, and textures of whole grains.
In the book, I provide cooking instructions for whole grains in almost every recipe. However, I have also included two tables at the end of this section that provide cooking methods and times for different grains at a glance so you can venture on your own and use whole grains in many more dishes.
BUYING
I buy organic whole grains and flours whenever possible (see also “Musings on Health, Dieting, and Good Eating”). While pesticide residue on whole grains and flours might be negligible, my diet is built on whole grains. It is my staple food. Eating whole grains means exactly that, it includes the outer skin or bran of the grain—so buying organic is important to me. Plus, I like supporting farmers who try to keep the soil healthy.
STORING
I transfer all grains from their packages into individual tight-sealing glass jars such as inexpensive Ball or Mason jars. This keeps my grains handy when I need to add them in a rush—no fiddling with clamps, clips, and rubber bands, no grains strewn all over the kitchen counter. Plus, lining up my grains in glass jars on a pantry shelf allows me to survey my options at a glance, and it looks beautiful. To make it easier, I keep quick-cooking grains on one side of the shelf and slow-cooking grains on the other, or I separate them on different shelves.
I suggest keeping all your grains in a cool, dry pantry. I do not store my grains in the fridge—I find it impractical and simply don’t have the space for it. Yes, whole grains can go rancid faster than their refined cousins, but they don’t go bad overnight. In a cool pantry, grains can last for many months without problems. If it makes you feel better and you have the space (or if you live in hot humid climate), by all means put your whole grains in the fridge.
Storing grains in glass jars has other advantages. It allows me to visually inspect my grains on a regular basis. And it enables me to my shake my grains. Why on earth would I do that? I have learned the hard way that flour moths tend to grow in undisturbed environments.