Grains of All Kinds
There are so many types of grains in the world, beyond just the obvious ones like rice and, um, brown rice. In this mission, I’ll show you how to cook pretty much any of them. That’s right: even weird stuff like quinoa, farro, millet and barley! So if you’ve been curious what these things are, head on over to your local grocery store and pick up a bag.
Here’s some background on grains: First of all, what are they, besides tiny little blobs of starchy deliciousness? They are basically grass seeds. (Quinoa is an exception—its parent plant is a relative of spinach.)
You may have heard the term “whole grain.” A whole grain is basically a seed as nature intended it. complete with all the parts to make a new baby plant:
- A thin protective outer layer called the bran
- A starchy interior called the endosperm
- And a tiny plant embryo called the germ
Brown rice is an example of a whole grain—the bran is what makes it brown. What’s the opposite of brown rice? White rice. It’s like naked brown rice: the bran and germ have been removed, leaving just the starch. We may find it softer and tastier, but 2 out of 3 parts are gone, so it’s less nutritious.
I won’t judge you for which kind of rice you prefer (I personally love me some white rice), but this distinction is useful to know when cooking. Whole grains act differently from naked grains: they absorb less water and are less likely to become mushy because of their protective bran layer. The bran also prevents the grain’s starch from dissolving out into the water. One nice thing about that is you’ll never accidentally make porridge. On the other hand, they need to be cooked longer to get past the bran layer.
Naked grains, however, need to be protected from porridge-ification. You don’t cook them as long, but you do need to carefully measure the amount of water you use. Use too much, and the grains will keep absorbing them, turning mushy.
In this mission I’ll give you guidelines for how much water to use and roughly how long to cook each type of grain. All you need to worry about now is choosing one (or a few!) that you’re curious about. Here’s a list of suggestions:
- white rice
- brown rice
- wild rice
- barley (pearled means it’s not a whole grain)
- wheat berries
- rye berries
While you’re at the store, you may also want to pick up some veggies and some eggs or chicken breast. You can combine this mission with Tender Blanched Veggies, Poached Chicken, and/or A Perfect Fried Egg for a easy and healthy meal. Because let’s face it, as delicious as grains can be, no one wants to eat a bowl of just that for dinner.
Ready? Let’s make some grains.
medium pot with lid
large fine mesh strainer optional
any of the grains listed 1 cup
Lesson Gallery... Yum yum.
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