Whole Grains Cooking Can be Great
GETTING
STARTED WITH HELP FROM CAFÉ MAX & ROSIE’S
by Max & Rosie Beeby
An
Introduction to Whole Grains
Whole grains comprise about 60 percent
of my diet and are the basis for most vegetarian diets. They are tasty and
nutritious, supplying vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. In contrast,
refined grains such as white rice, couscous, or pearled barley are
stripped of their bran and germ, causing a dramatic loss of nutrients.
This is not to say never eat refined grains, as their taste is quite good;
just don’t eat them on a regular basis.
When thinking of whole grains most
people think of brown rice, but the list of possible grains is lengthy. We
have available to us many types of rice, including short, medium, and
long-grain brown rice, arborio rice, sushi rice, sweet rice, and white and
brown basmati rice. There are also amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur,
corn grits, kamut, millet, oats, quinoa, and spelt—and more. It’s
worth a trip to your local natural foods store just to see what these
different grains look like. And then, of course, you can start
experimenting with them. They all have distinctively different tastes and
textures.
When cooking whole grains, you should
first rinse them thoroughly to remove dirt, especially if you are buying
from bulk bins. Some grains, like quinoa, need to be rinsed to remove
their bitter natural coating. Choose a heavy pot (not aluminum) with a
tight-fitting lid. Pour the grains into the pot, add cold water to cover,
and swish the grains in a circular motion with your hand. Drain the water
by pouring the grains into a colander. Return the grains to the pot, add
the proper amount of water for cooking, add a pinch of sea salt, which
enhances the flavor and improves the digestibility of the grains, and
cover. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and
continue to cook, covered, for the time specified in the Grain Cooking
Chart (see below).
There is no need to uncover the pot or
mix the grains while they are cooking. When all of the water is absorbed,
remove the grains from the pot and spoon them into a wooden or ceramic
bowl to aerate before serving. The Grain Cooking Chart gives specific
cooking times, but keep in mind that these times may differ depending on
the type of stove you use, the quantity of grains you cook, the simmering
temperature, or heat escape due to lifting the lid while cooking. So use
the chart as a guide when checking the grains for doneness. Use leftover
grains in soups, stews, or burritos! They should last at least three days
after cooking, if stored in the refrigerator.
Lastly, a quick word about chewing.
Grains need to be chewed more thoroughly than other foods for proper
digestion. Many people switching to diets based on whole grains complain
of gas and bloating because they don’t chew their food well. It is
important to relax at mealtime, slow down, sit down, and pay attention
(and give thanks for your food). It makes a tremendous difference.
Grain
Cooking Chart |
|
|
|
GRAIN |
WATER
(lightly salted) |
COOKING
TIME |
YIELD |
(1
cup dry) |
(cups) |
(minutes) |
(cups) |
Amaranth |
2 |
25-30 |
2-21/2 |
Barley, whole/hulled |
3 |
90 |
31/2-4 |
Barley, pearled |
3
|
45 |
31/2-4 |
Buckwheat groats |
2 |
15 |
2-21/2 |
Corn grits |
3 |
20 |
31/2-4 |
Kamut |
3 |
120 |
23/4 |
Millet |
21/2 |
25 |
31/2-4 |
Oats, whole |
3 |
60 |
3 |
Oats, rolled (oatmeal) |
2 |
15 |
11/2-2 |
Quinoa |
2 |
20 |
3-31/2 |
RICE: |
|
|
|
Arborio*
|
21/2 |
30 |
2-21/2 |
Basmati, brown |
2 |
45 |
31/2 |
Basmati, white |
13/4 |
15 |
31/2 |
Brown, short-, |
|
|
|
medium-, long-grain |
2 |
45 |
21/2-3 |
Sushi |
2 |
45 |
2 |
Sweet |
11/2 |
45 |
2 |
Spelt |
3 |
90-120 |
21/2 |
WHEAT: |
|
|
|
Whole berries |
3 |
90-120 |
21/2 |
Bulgur |
2 |
15 |
21/2 |
Couscous |
2 |
1 |
21/2-3 |
* Arborio rice must be stirred
continually during cooking.
The average age (longevity) of a
meat eater is 63. I am on the verge of 85 and still work as hard as ever.
I have lived quite long enough and I am trying to die, but I simply cannot
do it. A single beef-steak would finish me, but I cannot bring myself to
swallow it. I am oppressed with a dread of living forever. This is the
only disadvantage to vegetarianism.
—George Bernard Shaw
Sesame Stir-Fry over Brown Rice
Serves 4
This is a simple recipe to begin
your exploration of cooking with brown rice. It uses lots of fresh
vegetables to produce a dish that is both colorful and tasty. This is a
great dish for beginners to make to impress their guests!
1 cup short-grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
2 small yellow squash, trimmed and sliced
1 carrot, cut in matchsticks
2 to 3 tablespoons tamari
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 small red cabbage, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed ginger juice
Unhulled sesame seeds for garnish
Combine the rice and water and cook
according to the Grain Cooking Chart (see above). Heat the oil in a
cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and quick sauté
for a few minutes. Add the squash, carrot, and tamari and sauté a few
minutes more, or until the carrot brightens in color. Add the broccoli and
continue to sauté for 5 minutes, or until the broccoli begins to turn a
bright green color. Add the red cabbage. Sauté for 2 minutes, until the
cabbage is bright in color. Stir in the ginger juice and sprinkle with
sesame seeds. Serve immediately over the rice.
Vegetable Medley over Basmati Rice
Serves 4 to 6
Although we don’t use white
basmati rice on a daily basis, it is a delicious tasting rice with a sort
of nutty flavor. It goes especially well with garbanzo bean and lentil
dishes.
11/2 cups white basmati rice
3 cups water
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, halved
4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 butternut squash, seeded and cubed
1 carrot, cut in matchsticks
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup packed chopped kale
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Combine the rice and water and cook
according to the Grain Cooking Chart. In a vegetable steamer, steam the
brussels sprouts for 5 minutes, until bright green but still crisp. Set
aside and let cool. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high
heat. Add the garlic, mushrooms, butternut squash, and carrot and sauté
for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garbanzo beans and kale and sauté
for a few minutes more, until the kale is bright green. Add the brussels
sprouts and lower the heat. In a bowl, mix together the soy milk, tamari,
and nutritional yeast. Pour over the vegetable medley and cover. Remove
from the heat and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with pumpkin seeds
and serve over the rice.
Winter Stew
Serves 4 to 6
This dish is named appropriately
because I use mostly root vegetables that are readily available throughout
the winter. It is a dish to warm you up, not something you would want to
eat in the hot weather. The vegetables are sweet, giving the stew a mildly
sweet but savory taste.
1 to 2 tablespoons light sesame oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 carrot, chopped
4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 parsnip, chopped
1/2 rutabaga, peeled and cubed
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 cup pearled barley, rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
31/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chickpea or light barley miso
1 cup cooked navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed ginger juice
Fresh watercress for garnish
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over
high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the parsnip, rutabaga, sweet potato, barley, bay leaves, cumin, and
water. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for approximately 1 hour. Remove
2 cups of the cooked vegetables and broth and blend in a food processor or
blender until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot, add the beans and
ginger juice, and let simmer for a few more minutes. Remove the bay
leaves. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with watercress.
From
Café Max
& Rosie’s Vegetarian Cooking with Health and Spirit, by Max
and Rosie Beeby. Copyright © 2000 by Max
and Rosie Beeby. Excerpted by arrangement with Ten Speed Press.
$19.95. Available in local bookstores or call 800-841-2665 or click
here.
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