Basic Kasha
Make kasha once and it will become a Thanksgiving tradition for your table.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cup liquid—water or stock, ideally unsalted
- 3/4 cup buckwheat kernels
- 1 egg, beaten (see Kitchen Notes)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put the liquid (which can be water, or any stock that you prefer—my current favorite is mushroom stock) into a saucepan, cover it, and turn on the heat. Bring it to a boil.
- Meanwhile, pour the kasha kernels into a dry skillet (do not add any oil or butter yet!). Add the beaten egg and stir with a spatula until every kernel is thoroughly coated with egg. Then turn on the heat under the skillet, to medium-low. Stir the kasha, breaking up any clumps with the end of the spatula, until the kasha is dry and there are no clumps of any size—about two or three minutes. At this point there should be a pleasant toasty smell.
- Add the butter or olive oil to the pan and then pour in the boiling liquid, quickly and all at once. Give the pan a quick shake to distribute the grains evenly in the liquid. Cover the pan tightly and turn the heat to low.
- Go away for exactly seven minutes.
- Take off the lid. A puff of steam should emerge, but if actual liquid is still visible in the pan, put the lid back on and wait another minute. Fluff the kasha with the spatula. Taste. This is the time to add salt and, if you like, a modest grinding of pepper.
- Move the uncovered kasha to the oven (changing to an ovenproof pan if necessary) to bake at 350ºF for another 15 minutes.
- This basic recipe makes a delicious side to accompany turkey, or any roast—it is just wonderful with turkey gravy. And it’s so perfect with pot roast that you will regret all the years you never had it.
Kitchen Notes
The egg plays an important role in cooking kasha. It seals and binds each uncooked kernel so that it cooks properly, keeps its shape and doesn’t turn to mush. When you omit the egg, be a little more vigilant about the cooking time. When you double this recipe, don’t double the egg. You only need enough egg to coat every kernel. I would only add another egg if I were making this for, say, ten or more.
Here are some variations for other purposes:
For vegans: Omit the egg, toasting the kasha on its own in the skillet, and make sure you are using a vegetable or mushroom stock. If you’re in a hurry: Skip the oven roasting at the end, and serve straight from the stovetop. (Start to finish: 10 or 11 minutes.) Nonfat: Omit the oil or butter. For breakfast: Cook it with water or milk and a little cinnamon, and serve with maple syrup. A one-dish vegetarian meal: When the kasha is cooked, stir in roasted cashews, flat-leaf parsley, roasted onions, and roasted sweet red peppers; top with grated cheddar cheese; and bake until the cheese is melted. I’ve also encountered buckwheat kasha prepared as a cold salad, tossed with vinaigrette, coriander, scallions, and water chestnuts—if you try this, be very stingy with the vinaigrette; I do not have fond memories of that dish.
For vegans: Omit the egg, toasting the kasha on its own in the skillet, and make sure you are using a vegetable or mushroom stock. If you’re in a hurry: Skip the oven roasting at the end, and serve straight from the stovetop. (Start to finish: 10 or 11 minutes.) Nonfat: Omit the oil or butter. For breakfast: Cook it with water or milk and a little cinnamon, and serve with maple syrup. A one-dish vegetarian meal: When the kasha is cooked, stir in roasted cashews, flat-leaf parsley, roasted onions, and roasted sweet red peppers; top with grated cheddar cheese; and bake until the cheese is melted. I’ve also encountered buckwheat kasha prepared as a cold salad, tossed with vinaigrette, coriander, scallions, and water chestnuts—if you try this, be very stingy with the vinaigrette; I do not have fond memories of that dish.