Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 170 g raw whole buckwheat groats
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 350 ml vegetable broth
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the raw buckwheat groats and toast, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until they smell deeply fragrant and nutty.
Carefully pour in the vegetable broth, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stand back slightly as the liquid will sputter upon hitting the hot pan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil at approximately 100°C/212°F.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and let the buckwheat simmer gently until all the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Keep the lid completely secured and let the buckwheat rest undisturbed. This allows the steam to distribute evenly, preventing a gummy texture.
Remove the lid and fluff the cooked buckwheat gently with a fork to separate the individual grains before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the raw groats in fat before adding liquid is a crucial step; it enhances the natural nutty flavor and helps fortify the exterior of the grain, keeping individual pieces intact rather than turning into a porridge.
- If you are using pre-roasted buckwheat, often sold under the name kasha, reduce the initial toasting time to just 1 minute to simply warm it in the butter without burning the already-roasted exterior.
- For an exceptionally fluffy texture with perfectly separated grains, you can mix the raw groats with half of a lightly beaten egg white until coated, then dry-fry them in the pan until the egg cooks and separates the grains, before adding any butter or liquid.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze flat in resealable plastic bags to save space.
Reheating: Microwave with a splash of water or broth until steaming, or warm gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat.
