RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : A. Rothenberg Kasha - pareve
I make Kasha all the time! It's great stuff! I've brought it to potlucks for Jewish organizations and gotten all kinds of "my grandmother used to make this - I didn't know you could still get it!" reactions. Some observations based on my own experiences: - Use of broth rather than plain water makes a tremendous difference in the "depth" of the flavor that results. I generally use low sodium (canned) chicken broth, but have also used beef broth, water with parve bullion. Unless expecting to serve strict vegetarians, for whom even a bit of meat *flavoring* would be offensive no matter what the source, don't use plain water. - Sealing the kasha kernels by coating them with beaten egg and then heating until the egg dries is CRITICAL to getting a pleasing texture, unless you really want oatmeal-style Kashamush (ugh). It also adds an interesting "roasted" flavor note; just be careful not to burn the kernels! - I find that the kernels that Wolff's (the main Kasha perveyor in the NE U.S.) sells as "Medium Granulation" to work best. - My typical method of cooking Kasha is: 1. Mix the kasha with the beaten egg and let stand for a few minutes. (Use 1 egg for each cup of dry K.) 2. Heat the grains in a dry, unoiled, nonstick skillet, separating the grains with a fork as they heat. (Just like they say to on the box.) Meanwhile, start the liquid heating. (About 2 c. liquid for each cup of dry K. I usually add a little more liquid while it's cookings, so I'm probably using about 2-1/2 c. per dry cup.) 3. Mix the grains into the liquid. Add lots of pepper and a little salt, if desired. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. While the kasha is cooking, use the skillet to saute onions. You can NEVER have too many sauted onions for Kasha! If I'm making the Kasha for my own use as a main meal, I'll usually (along with the onions), saute some sliced mushrooms, some kind of meat (like chicken breast or ground turkey), perhaps throw in some frozen peas/carrots/corn just before it's done. 5. Mix it all together and enjoy an easy to make, easy to eat, nutritious dinner!
