Buckwheat, like any other cereal, expands in volume and becomes soft when cooked. This happens due to the absorption of the liquid in which it is cooked.
The volume of buckwheat boiled during cooking depends on:
- quality and method of processing cereals;
- relationship with water;
- cooking time.
The greater the amount of liquid and the duration of cooking, the more the buckwheat boils:
- from two to four times - by volume:
- three to four times by weight.
How to prepare buckwheat
First, sort out the cereal.
Even if you buy an expensive product, there is a chance that it will contain plant debris. So don’t be lazy to look through the buckwheat and remove all foreign elements. Then rinse the cereal under running water until the liquid becomes clear.
To make the dish even more crumbly and aromatic, you can additionally heat the dried cereal a little in a hot frying pan. Set the heat to low and do not overdo it: a light buckwheat aroma should appear. As a rule, 3-4 minutes is more than enough for this.
What does boilability depend on?
Cookability is the time during which the cereal passes from a dry state to a ready-to-cook state. This period depends on the variety of buckwheat, the date of sowing and harvesting, processing methods and storage conditions .
The methods of cleaning, sorting, hydrothermal treatment, drying time of raw materials, and the quality of separation of grain from husks and dust all influence. If the production process complies with all standards, the buckwheat will be of high quality.
The boilability of buckwheat is checked at least once a month . Add 50 g of cereal and a pinch of salt to 125 cm3 of boiled water. The container is closed with a lid and placed in a water bath, while the liquid level should always be above the cereal.
After 20 minutes, 5 grains are sampled from the center of the container. Place on a glass surface and rub with another object. The next tests are carried out every 3 minutes until all the buckwheat is cooked.
How to cook buckwheat in a saucepan
Place the cereal in a thick-bottomed saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Many people throw buckwheat into already boiling water. In this case, the cooking time does not change, but the heat must be reduced immediately after adding the cereal.
There is no need to stir the porridge during cooking. You can check the readiness of buckwheat by running a spoon along the bottom. If there is no water there, then the pan can be removed from the stove.
If you are afraid that you will be late and the cereal will burn, remove it from the heat a little earlier and leave it covered for about 10 minutes. The buckwheat will absorb the remaining water.
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