Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [18]
TOASTING
Some cooks toast small grains such as buckwheat or millet before cooking them. This adds nice aroma, and it allows the kernels to cook up more distinctly. To me, this is a personal choice. I often prefer the comforting softness and mild flavor of each grain. But I suggest you try it and see what you like better. You can toast the grains in a dry saucepan over medium-low to medium heat until they crackle and become aromatic, and then carefully add water (it will splatter!) and cook as directed.
COOKING METHODS
My technique for cooking most grains is easy and no-nonsense: bring the grains to a boil in water, cover, and simmer until they are tender but still slightly chewy (for more, see also “Simmering,” below, and the grain cooking tables. A heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid will make your life easier (see “Equipment”). Add salt towards the end of cooking.
Furthermore, all grains benefit from steaming after cooking, if you have the time. Here is how it works: remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let steam for 5 to 10 minutes for tender grains such as brown rice, quinoa, or millet. Drain any liquid that remains. Fluff and serve. Allow 10 to 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour) of steaming time for tougher grains such as rye, wheat, spelt, Kamut, and hulled barley. When making these grains ahead, I typically just “forget” about them after cooking, leaving them to steam and cool before I refrigerate or freeze them. During steaming, grains continue to absorb any remaining traces of cooking liquid and thus plump up beautifully.
I have written the majority of the recipes in this book to allow for much of the water to be absorbed during cooking and steaming. However, no two grain kernels are alike so use common sense and watch your grains.
Don’t be concerned about burst grain kernels. I like to cook my grains long enough to make them more easily digestible, so I often end up with 10 percent to 15 percent of wheat or barley bursting in the pot. I cherish the succulence these berries add to a dish.
For cooking polenta, please see the actual recipes in the book and "On Cooking Polenta".
SIMMERING is a crucial technique in cooking many a dish, including grains. It is equally important in cooking soups and stews and in poaching. To simmer grains, bring them to a boil and reduce the heat until only tiny bubbles poke through to the surface of your cooking liquid. This is the heat level you should try to maintain. You will most often reach this point with the lid closed over a low flame. But it varies with different stoves and pots, so keep an eye out for this perfect gentle bubble. It is magic, and it will truly create a superior grain, or anything else that should not cook over too high a heat. I used to be a pretty carefree cook, paying little attention to all matters of technique—but perpetually wondering why my beans always burst. Well, I was cooking them at bursting high temperatures. Lesson learned. Simmering also helps retain the water level in your pot so you don’t scorch your grains (a heavy-bottomed pot helps too).
STEAMING FINE GRAINS Some grains such as couscous or fine bulgur require no cooking at all, but just a brief steaming period (see "Quick-Cooking Whole Grains"). Here is how you do it: add the required amount of water to a pot and bring to a boil; stir in the grain, cover, and remove from the heat. Set aside to steam for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the grain or the recipe.
REHYDRATING is an easy common technique used for bulgur that is already parboiled. To do this, place the bulgur in a bowl and cover it with water (warm or hot water will speed up the process a bit). Wait until the bulgur has the desired consistency (this depends on the grind), and then drain and enjoy it in soups or salads. For more details on varieties of bulgur.
COOKING TIMES Just like with beans, the different varieties and the freshness of your whole grains affect cooking time (for details see the grain tables that follow this section). I have had soft whole wheat berries that cooked to a lovely plumpness