Buckwheat Recipes

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Hello GB, happy Saturday!

Earlier this year, Josh (Naterman) gave a recipe for making buckwheat pancakes. I adapted this recipe for making myself a bunch of buckwheat pancakes because it reduced the butter and they were more convenient.

Every week and a half I make about 40 waffles. It takes about two hours (if not more), and result is a carb food that has quite a bit of fat in it because of the rice/almond milk and butter that I have to use for the baking.

I've heard of people here eating it in other ways. Does anyone here have any experience with preparing and eating it in forms other than baking? Thanks in advance.

[Rikke Olsen]

I soak with a little acid overnight, most often along with brown rice, strain and wash it the next morning, dump it in my pressure cooker with a little salt, eyeball the amount of water needed, let the cooker reach pressure, cook it for 2-3 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit for around 10-20 minutes, a while after the pressure has taken off.

Sometimes I add fresh ginger slices or other stuff for a flavor twist, but usually it's just plain.

[WitnessTheFitness]

Buckwheat noodles (soba) is my favorite source. Just boil them up, and stick them in a Japanese broth made from konbu and some red miso, then add sesame seeds, green onion, and whatever other veggies you like in Asian soups and you'll have yourself a delicious, cheap, and easy meal.

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Bissen, is it like cereal?

That sounds good, Aurele. Two questions:

- Do you make your Japanese broth with kombu and red miso or do you use a mix to make it?

- Do you use noodles like these: http://www.amazon.com/Shirakiku-Inaka-Soba-Buckwheat-Noodles/dp/B0002IZCZS ?

Thanks !!

[WitnessTheFitness]

I make my own broth since it's so easy and tastes way better than pre-made ones. Just fill up a pot with a few cups of water, stick a shred of konbu in it and simmer for 15 minutes or so, then put in two tablespoons of red miso paste, and voila. If you like spicy broth add some chili oil in it, tastes great.

This brand is the best soba I've tried: http://www.amazon.com/Hakubaku-Authentic-Japanese-Buckwheat-9-5-Ounce/dp/B000LKX6R8/ref=pd_sim_gro_1/184-2341339-2876725 Most brands in grocery stores taste really cheap, and have insane amounts of sodium, but hakubaku has 0 sodium and tastes really high quality for packaged noodles. Hakubaku's soba is only 30% buckwheat, though, so if you want 100% go with Eden Foods' brand, their soba is great too. http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Selected-Whole-Buckwheat-8-Ounce/dp/B0012AOJ04/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353217013&sr=8-2&keywords=eden+foods+soba

[Rikke Olsen]

Bissen, is it like cereal?

You mean like any type of breakfast cereal product? In that case, nope. If you mean like cooked oatmeal or something, then that can be done, too; just add more water/milk/whatever.

The way I do it, after soaking, the water:buckwheat ratio is around 1:1, maybe a little more water. It's more like rice/bulgur/quinoa etc.

If you add sushi or other sticky rice, you can even make it hold together like typical Japanese rice. I have thought of making "sushi" of it. Blasphemy!

I know the Japanese, though not so much now, make "sobagaki", which is buckwheat flour mixed with a little water, being cooked until it forms a sticky dough. You can check it on youtube; I've thought of trying it several times, but never really gotten around to it.

[Quick Start Test Smith]

I make my own broth since it's so easy and tastes way better than pre-made ones. Just fill up a pot with a few cups of water, stick a shred of konbu in it and simmer for 15 minutes or so, then put in two tablespoons of red miso paste, and voila. If you like spicy broth add some chili oil in it, tastes great.

This brand is the best soba I've tried: http://www.amazon.com/Hakubaku-Authentic-Japanese-Buckwheat-9-5-Ounce/dp/B000LKX6R8/ref=pd_sim_gro_1/184-2341339-2876725 Most brands in grocery stores taste really cheap, and have insane amounts of sodium, but hakubaku has 0 sodium and tastes really high quality for packaged noodles. Hakubaku's soba is only 30% buckwheat, though, so if you want 100% go with Eden Foods' brand, their soba is great too. http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Selected-Whole-Buckwheat-8-Ounce/dp/B0012AOJ04/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353217013&sr=8-2&keywords=eden+foods+soba

That looks great. The Eden Foods' is way too expensive for the time being, so I'll get some of Habukabu's.

Just to get it straight, you make the broth with the konbu and red miso and then put the soba in. How long do you have to wait until the soup is ready to be eaten?

You mean like any type of breakfast cereal product? In that case, nope. If you mean like cooked oatmeal or something, then that can be done, too; just add more water/milk/whatever.

The way I do it, after soaking, the water:buckwheat ratio is around 1:1, maybe a little more water. It's more like rice/bulgur/quinoa etc.

If you add sushi or other sticky rice, you can even make it hold together like typical Japanese rice. I have thought of making "sushi" of it. Blasphemy!

I know the Japanese, though not so much now, make "sobagaki", which is buckwheat flour mixed with a little water, being cooked until it forms a sticky dough. You can check it on youtube; I've thought of trying it several times, but never really gotten around to it.

Sounds good. I'll give it a try after I try the soup!

[Rikke Olsen]

Remember not to boil the miso paste! All the good stuff (healthy bacteria) die

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Hehe, good to know. Thanks Bissen

[WitnessTheFitness]

Just to get it straight, you make the broth with the konbu and red miso and then put the soba in. How long do you have to wait until the soup is ready to be eaten?

The soup is ready to eat as soon as the broth is done, which takes about 15 min or so if you simmer it. Just make sure to boil and rinse the soba seperately instead of cooking it in the broth. If you like shoyu sauce, this broth is also pretty good for soba, tried it for lunch today:

Broth

2 Tbs to 1/4 Cup soy sauce (depending on taste)

1 Cup Water

1 Tbs Rice Vinegar

1 Tbs Sugar

1/2 cube vegetable stock

1 Inch Ginger Root, peeled and sliced thinly

Add all the broth ingredients to a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and place a lid on the broth while preparing the rest of the meal. This allows all the gingery goodness to steep into the broth.

Instead of the vegetable stock you can also just add in a piece of konbu to get that nice sea flavor.

[Larry Roseman]

Hey Patrick,

I got turned on to buckwheat pancakes here too. Only knew them by name, but didn't know how tasty and fluffy they can be!

Other ways: there is an eastern european buckwheat dish called kasha that goes in a thin breaded crust which is a kinish pronounced kin-ish. With grainy mustard it's quite good. You can find potato kinish on NY street vendors but kasha type is more likely in a specialty store or kosher deli perhaps.

In any event, going back to pancakes I forgot to put an egg in last time. They came out a bit stiff

as I mix the buckweat with brown rice flour as well as some wheat flour.

Anyway, cut one in half, warmed it in the toaster and scooped vanilla ice cream in the between

and had a toasted buckwheat pancake ice cream sandwich! Just had one. and feeling so good, warm and fuzzy inside!

Fin

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Thanks a lot, Aurele. I'm going to experiment a bit with it.

Haha, Fin! That sounds really good. I think I'll indulge and try it today since it's thanksgiving.

[Rikke Olsen]

For your information, I have actually succeeded in making a sourdough bread from brown rice flour, tapioca starch, buckwheat flour, eggs and salt - nothing more - which didn't taste hopelessly bad, holds together pretty well and has a nice texture.

It needs tweaking, and I didn't really measure anything, so I won't and can't give you the details just yet, but I'll post when I do

[twan]

Can someone post a good recipe for buckwheat pancakes ?

[Quick Start Test Smith]

No problem, twan.

[twan]

thx, I was looking for a good sugar-wheat free way to make pancakes. Since I have recently tried to elimnate gluten as much as possible.

I can see why so many people avoid 'gluten' now, I makes you look puffy and makes your brain foggy.

[Larry Roseman]

Would like to add buckwheat crepes to the mix here.

I should add that I usually do buckwheat pancakes with less than 100% buckwheat, but that

does not mean 100% won't work. I just haven't tried it.

Essentially crepes are made with the same ingredients as pancakes but no baking soda or powder,

plus more egg and milk/water so the mixture is thinner. Some butter or oil is added. You can also add a sweetner, although it's not required.

In Russia crepes are called blini, hence we have blintzes.

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/breakfast/r/buckwheatcrepes.htm

http://www.russianbites.com/blini-russian-crepes (general process).

Anyway, crepes can be used in a variety of ways. Cheese or fruit blintzes are the classic breakfast, and are re-fried.

But crepes are soft and flexible and make great wraps with a variety of savory ingredients. Can be spread with nut butters or fruit compote for desserts/snacks, mashed potato and sour cream (or yogurt) for lunch. Serve with seafood or any type of saute (that has some sauce) for dinner.

The protein is HQ from the eggs, milk and buckwheat...

Bon appetite' !

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Thanks again for all the ideas, guys.

 

For quite a while I ate a lot of soba, but because it was only partially buckwheat, I felt as if I was getting as much as I was giving with it. I currently eat a lot of buckwheat waffles, which I like more than buckwheat waffles, but I wonder if there's any way to eat buckwheat "groats" like cereal so I wouldn't have to eat baked stuff.

[Rikke Olsen]

Thanks again for all the ideas, guys.

 

For quite a while I ate a lot of soba, but because it was only partially buckwheat, I felt as if I was getting as much as I was giving with it. I currently eat a lot of buckwheat waffles, which I like more than buckwheat waffles, but I wonder if there's any way to eat buckwheat "groats" like cereal so I wouldn't have to eat baked stuff.

 

You mean you want to eat it raw? If so, I believe you'd benefit from soaking, then drying it, which is kind of a hassle.

 

Btw, if I'm very lazy or not in the mood for being very "cuisine-y" (which is like 80-90% of the time), I grind up mu raw buckwheat in an electric coffeemill (works absolutely WONDERS! Gets as finely ground as the flour you buy, and for only about third the price - at least here), then I mix with water/dairy, add a little baking powder, throw it in the microwave and nuke it for a little while. So easy - and I really thought it would be dry, especially with water, but it's not at all.

 

You can add whatever you want, making it savory or sweet.

[Joshua Slocum]

When I eat the 'groats' I generally cook it like rice: boiled with water. 

 

- Use broth instead of water for a more meaty taste

- Try lightly frying the buckwheat before boiling it. This adds a nice toasted note and opens up the flavor.

- You can also crack an egg into it while frying, or cook the egg separately and mix after the buckwheat is boiled. 

[Quick Start Test Smith]

Thanks Bissen!

 

jfslocum - What does it taste like to you?

[Joshua Slocum]

Prepared "plain" is tastes plain. It is a little nutty; reminiscent quinoa or brown rice, but distinct. It's fine with just salt and pepper, but I prefer to add additional ingredients for taste.