Some general advice about grains

1 info

Quantity Ingredient
What Kind of Pot to Use
Cooking the Grain
When Is It Done
How Much to Cook
The Versatile Grain
and the
Elegant Bean
by Sheryl and Mel London
ISBN 0-671-76106-4

Non-stick a cleanup blessing. Make sure it has a tight lid so no steam (or very little) can escape. How deep? How wide? A deep pan is best to keep the grains covered with liquid/ A wide-bottomed pan cooks faster, but needs to be checked more frequently to see if you have the proper amount of water.

Over medium-high heat. bring the liquid to a full rolling boil before adding the grain. Add the grain and bring it to a boil again, then cover, reduce the heat to simmer or use a flame tamer, particularly for electric stoves that don't adjust from high to low immediately.

It's done when the grain reaches your personal preference. Some prefer a very soft grain, while others favor a more chewy bite.

However, all the liquid should be absorbed.

When cooking, don't stir. Grains bruise easily and tend to get sticky.

Don't peek while they cook. Steam will escape each time the lid is lifted.

If the grain is not to your taste after the liquid has been absorbed, add some boiling water and continue to simmer. Bite-test a grain to see if it is done. The underside of a tight pot lid collects moisture, so after cooking, slip a piece of paper towel between the pot and the lid so that the accumulated moisture will be absorbed.

Let it stand for 5-10 minutes before fluffing with a fork to separate the grains. If some water still remains on the bottom of the pot, just drain it off.

The cooking charts in this book are based on one cup of dry grain, which may yield more cooked grain than some recipes require. Keep any leftover cooked grain in the freezer for future use.

Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 03-19-95

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