Nourishing grains on the table

Most people don’t need to be sold on grains. Almost every American boasts a grain staple of one sort or another in their diet (examples include rice, bread, pasta, baked goods or beer). There are many different types of grains, some more esoteric than others. Among them are some that are less common forms of familiar grains—whole wheat berries, for example—or those that are staples elsewhere in the world but deemed unappealing in our richer society. Some exotic grains are among the oldest foods eaten by our species—in some cases, even before they were cultivated—and they still deserve a place on our crowded modern dining tables. Quinoa, the ancient sacred grain of the Andes, so important that the conquistadors destroyed it to demoralize and physically weaken the indigenous population, has a fine taste and texture. Kasha, or toasted buckwheat, has been a staple of central and Eastern Europe since the beginning of recorded history; its flavor demands recognition. Bulgur, kernels of soft wheat that have been steamed, dried and cracked, has been found in the tombs of the pharaohs; it is an original and sensational convenience food.
These are just some of the amazing grains that are available to us. They are versatile, inexpensive, easy to prepare and nutritious.

Barley

More barley is used in making alcoholic beverages than in cooking, but this grain, which is among the first cultivated by humans, is a wonderful substitute for rice, makes a great flour for sourdough or other breads, and is excellent in soups.

Rice

In the Orient, rice has been identified with God for thousands of years. It has also been the principal food of most oriental peoples during these centuries. It has had an interesting and checkered history in the rest of the world. For instance, rice became a status symbol in feudal Japan after it was introduced as the spoils of a small border skirmish between a Chinese warlord and a Japanese shogun. In 1326 Osma I, founder of the Ottoman Empire, declared rice to be a profane food, insisting that its consumption led to indolence, venery and prurient behavior. As a consequence, rice fields were burned, and cooked rice in any form whatsoever was banished in Turkish kitchens for more than a century (though contraband rice was often eaten on the sly). Rice was introduced to the United States in the mid-1700s. Today it is grown in many southern and southwestern states. A special property of rice is that it can be stored indefinitely without any chemical preservatives or refrigeration. Natural, whole unpolished brown rice contains all the minerals, vitamins, proteins and lipids necessary to human nutrition. All rice is brown in its natural condition. It goes through a complex transformation process that strips the kernel from the husk, bran and germ to achieve pristine and polished whiteness, leaving only the endosperm and very little else in the way of nutritional fiber. More than 7,000 varieties of rice are grown around the world.

Bulgur

Bulgur (or bulghur), a traditional grain of the Middle East, is steamed, hulled, dried and then cracked wheat. The result is a quick-cooking grain (in some instances it does not even need to be cooked, just soaked in water) that filled the historical need of conserving fuel and today provides convenience and great flavor.

Cornmeal

Unless you grew up in the south, on grits and hush puppies (or are of Romanian descent and grew up eating mamaliga, the Eastern European version of polenta), perhaps you thought cornmeal was only for cornbread. But polenta has changed all that; this cornmeal mush is a fluffy combination of cornmeal and water with flavorings mixed into it and sauces poured onto it. Polenta, like rice, is a fairly neutral base and is delicious served with a tomato sauce, meat, cheese or vegetables.

Pasta Paradox

Like white bread, white pasta is a staple food in many regions. Bleached and bromated flour yields nutrient-deficient food; white bread and white pasta do not support good health. A key in maintaining health is fresh whole grain breads and pastas. The advantage in using whole grain products was shown during World War I, when shortages caused the Danish government to forbid the milling of grains. Nutrition in Denmark was so improved during the war years that the death rate fell 34 percent. The incidence of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart and kidney diseases dropped markedly, and evidences of positive health greatly increased. Much of the same improvement occurred in England during and after World War II, when grains were only slightly milled.

Today, we have a colorful and nutritious variety of whole grain pastas to choose from, and many of these are organic.

Couscous

Couscous is actually pasta of North African origin. There is a traditional method of preparing it which involves moistening it, resting it, steaming it, moistening it again, salting it, cooling it, steaming it once more, and finally serving it with a stew. Most highly dedicated cooks try this method at least once, but it is a big production. Paula Wolfert’s Moroccan cookbooks are a great reference for this. In fact, there is a simple way to cook couscous. It may not be the ideal way of preparation, but it is good served with stews, sauces and gravies, as it does not have a whole lot of flavor on its own.

Kasha

Buckwheat is the hardiest of grains because, it too, isn’t a grain at all but a grass related to rhubarb. It grows where true grains do not, in the poor soil and bad weather of northern Europe and central Asia. It is healthy, cheap, easy to cook and has flavor. But it isn’t popular because its flavor is distinctive. Some may say that buckwheat is an acquired taste, but it sometimes seems that you either love it or you hate it, and that’s that. It is certainly among the strongest tasting among grains, with a bold, toasty, earthy flavor. You can find plain buckwheat, but most of it is roasted, which turns it into kasha. Some buckwheat is turned into flour to be made into pancakes, soba noodles, and pizzoccheri, the buckwheat noodles of northern Italy. Kasha, also called buckwheat groats, is widely available.

Millet

A small, high protein grain, millet looks like couscous and is a staple throughout Africa and in much of Asia. Millet is fast cooking, gluten free, and a good substitute for rice, couscous or polenta. It has a slightly gummy texture. It is hulled before sale; the outer layer is inedible.

Quinoa

The people of the Andes call quinoa, pronounced “keen-wa,” the Mother Grain. The Incas deemed the kernels sacred, since a steady diet appeared to ensure long lives. Francisco Pizarro gave quinoa its name, shortly after he and his army straggled into the Incas’ stronghold at Cuzco in 1532. According to Peruvian lore, once Pizarro tasted a bowl of cooked quinoa, he demanded to see where the seed grew. When he had climbed the Andean plateau and studied the plants’ tall stalks and brilliant blossoms, lightly dusted with snow, the conquistador is said to have murmured, “Quimera!” (Fantastic). He called it “the grain that grows where grass will not.”

Pizarro realized that the highly sophisticated Indian culture represented a threat to Spanish colonization. He banned the growing of quinoa in the mountains and had the Incas plant formal vegetable gardens instead. The tender greens shriveled as the first blast of icy Andean wind hit the altiplano, but Pizarro refused to be discouraged. He imported Spanish livestock to graze in the lower valleys so the Incas would learn to eat meat instead of their standardized comestibles like potatoes, corn and quinoa.

But the Incas were strict vegetarians and while not allowed to grow quinoa, ate wild mushrooms instead. After years of raiding the altiplano, where he suspected quinoa still grew, “under cover,” Pizarro developed weak lungs and a cough that turned his once booming voice into a faint whisper. Wherever he looked, he saw defeat, and eventually he took the remnants of his army and left Peru forever.

Technically, quinoa is not a grain at all; agrobotanists dub it a dried fruit of the Chenopodium herb family-whose best-known member is a wild and spicy green known as lamb’s quarters. Quinoa is cultivated for its copious seeds. A cup of cooked quinoa is equal to a quart of milk in calcium content, and it is very high in protein. All quinoa is not equal; as a general rule, look for the largest, whitest grains you can find. Quinoa seeds are naturally coated with saponin (a natural insect repellant), and are slightly sticky, somewhat acid to the tongue, and foamy when wet. Most saponin is scrubbed off quinoa before it is dried and packaged, but the flavor of cooked quinoa will depend largely on how much rinsing you do. The more you rinse, the milder the flavor. Fully cooked quinoa is transparent and has a small white sprout, or tail, that surrounds the seed. Quinoa’s natural oiliness makes it a prime target for spoilage; even under the best conditions—below 65 degrees F.—its shelf life is only a month. It is very easy to cook, only requiring 12-15 minutes. It should not be pressure cooked as it may clog the pressure release valve. The flavor is light, fluffy, grassy and easy to like. It makes a great substitute for the glutinous bulgur wheat in tabbouleh.