Subj : Kasha (Buckwheat)
To   : Ben Collver
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Fri Apr 21 2023 12:08:51

Hi Ben,

 BC>   Re: Kasha (Buckwheat)

 RH> I do one more step with kasha--been making it for 45+ years. Beat an
 RH> egg, then coat the kasha grains/kernals/whatever you want to call them
 RH> with the egg. Then saute them in oil or butter; I generally use a good
 RH> tablespoon or so (eyeballing it). Once the kernals are dry, add 2 cups
 RH> of liquid, bring to boil and reduce to low. Cook for 12-15 minutes,
 RH> until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then serve. I like
 RH> to use beef or chicken broth/stock for more flavor.

 BC> Thanks for the tip!  I'll try making it that way next time.

That's the only way I make it and have ever made it.

 BC> I remember experimenting with millet and i think it also turns out
 BC> better when it is toasted before cooking.

I've never used millet, tho I have some in the pantry. We're having a
cool down (to the low 60s) next week; I may pull it out and give it a
try.

 RH> This is basically how Wolff's brand kasha boxes instruct how to fix
 RH> their medium granulation kasha. Used to be, we couldn't find it
 outside RH> of NY State; we'd have family bring it to wherever we were
 living or RH> we'd pick some up when we'd go visit family. Now it's
 much more RH> available thruout the States. I first encountered it when
 working at a RH> Jewish camp one summer; the cook there mixed it with
 sauteed onions and RH> mushrooms, called it Kasha Varnishkies. I think
 it is a varient on the RH> real thing but it does taste good.

 BC> A friend from Belarus served me kasha with sauce, pickles, and some
 BC> chicken substitute that i am not familiar with.   It tasted good to
 BC> me.  I have eaten buckwheat noodles for over a decade, but hadn't
 BC> tried kasha yet.

Sounds good. I've read about it in Russian cooking, not tried any
Eastern European ways of fixing it--yet.


 BC> It's not easy to find here, but i finally found in the bulk section of
 BC> a natural food store here in town.  I missed it at first because it
 BC> was
 BC> sandwiched in between two different bins of oats.  The label says it
 BC> was grown in the USA.  An online search says that most US buckwheat is
 BC> grown in ND, WA, MN, and NY.

We've had more success finding it in the boxes--Wolff's brand is the
most common one we've seen. They used to offer a cook book for $1. and a
box top, don't know if they still do or not. I had a copy at one time,
many moves ago.

 BC> I was not aware of Jewish camp.  I looked at the "find a camp" page
 on BC> jewishcamp.org, and it reminds me a lot of my experiences at
Boy Scout camp.

This was an 8 week camp--kids came up and stayed all summer.


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


.... Some are so educated they can bore you on almost any subject

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