Cornerstone Family Practice

ARTICLE

Cooking Grain

Tips:
• If you want a softer grain, or porridge-like consistency, cook grains in a bit more liquid.
• Use grains as the base for stir fries, curries and main dishes that have a a lot of sauce.
• Cold grain salads are best served at room temperature. With the exception of rye, starches will harden (retrogradation) and their tastes will be muted. Salads can be dressed and chilled overnight, and remoistened with a bit of oil.
• Make sure grains are cooked enough. When you are first transitioning to a whole grain diet, it might be easier on your system if you cook grains a bit longer, so they are softer.

There a few simple steps to cooking grains: cleaning, soaking, toasting, cooking and the final steam.

Cleaning	- Put grains in a bowl and cover with several inches of cold water. Use your hand to move the grain in the water; if kernels or chaff come to the surface, pour them off, then drain in a wire mesh strainer - If you are going to toast grains (see below), toast first, and then rinse
Soaking (Sometimes)	- Soaking long-cooking grains (rye, wheat berries) will decrease the cooking time and make the grains more tender. - Pre-soaked grains will use 1/4 – 1/2 cup less water per cup of grain - Pre-soaked grains will require about 10 minutes less cooking time - Soaking brown rice will make it a little more tender
Toasting (Sometimes)	- Delicate grains such as buckwheat, millet, and quinoa can be toasted. This hardens the outer bran, which helps separate the grain, and provides a nutty flavor. - Toast the grains in an unoiled pan over medium heat on the stove, or spread them on a baking sheet and toast them at 350 degrees F. - Quickly rinse the toasted grains and add them to a pan with hot liquid as soon as possible
Cooking: Absorption	- Most common and familiar method - Measured liquid is put into a pot and grain is added to the cold or boiling liquid. Note: cold liquid makes a softer grain, and adding the grain to boiling water makes a firmer grain. Liquid can be water, stock, wine, juice, and/or seasoning added to any of the above. - Whole garlic cloves and vegetables will add to the tenderness
Cooking: Baking	- Best method for large amounts of grain Frees up stovetop burners
Cooking: Steaming	- Steaming is used in Asian countries to cook rice high in amylopectic or glutinous rice (e.g., brown sweet rice, short-grain brown rice, and black sticky rice) - Soak rice overnight, drain, and spread on a cheesecloth-lined basket, steamer, or banana leaf, and place over simmering water
Cooking: Pressure-Cooking	- Decreases cooking time (for grains and beans) - Use the natural release rather than the quick release method
Cooking: Pasta Style	- Works well for rye, wild rice, and sturdy whole wheat - Not advisable for delicate wheat - Cook in large amounts of water, drain, cover, take off heat, and let stand for 10 minutes
Final Steam	- If there is a small amount of water left in the pan, cover, take off heat, and let stand for 10 minutes

Grain cooking times and liquid-grain ratio can vary. The following chart provides a guideline for cooking grains in a conventional saucepan or in a pressure cooker.

Grain

Precooking

Liquid: Grain Ratio Unsoaked With Conventional Pot

Liquid: Grain Ratio
Soaked With Conventional Pot

Cooking Time Pressure Cooker

Amaranth

None

2-1/2 – 3 to 1

2-1/2 to 1

15 minutes

Barley, Hulled, (Purple or Black)

Soaking Recommended