Savor the simple pleasure of Ukrainian buckwheat kasha, a timeless recipe I’m excited to share today. This nutrition-packed dish, teeming with magnesium, iron, calcium, and an array of vitamins, is as wholesome as it is delicious.
As you get into this short guide, you’ll learn to create a heartwarming meal featuring buckwheat, beautifully accentuated by bacon-fried onions. This is more than just a recipeโit’s your key to unlocking a healthier, tastier dining experience, making every bite worth your while.
Understanding Buckwheat Kasha: A Ukrainian Classic
Buckwheat kasha is a cherished porridge made from the humble buckwheat grain, widely embraced in the culinary creations of Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and several other European countries.
Historically, buckwheat, believed to have been cultivated over 5,000 years ago in South China, has traveled far and wide across the globe. Intriguingly, Eastern culinary practices involving this grain often exhibit stark differences from their European counterparts, despite sharing certain common elements.
This versatile grain, offering endless cooking possibilities, is commonly boiled, fried, incorporated into soups, or ground into flour for baking. As adaptable as it is, buckwheat can grace your table as a savory dish, or with the addition of sugar, honey, and milk, it can morph into a tasty dessert. Notably, it’s also used in the creation of certain alcoholic beverages.
Today I will tell and show you how to cook delicious buckwheat, which can then be used both as a side dish for meat and vegetables and even as itself – buckwheat porridge. I will prepare one of the classic simple “not sweet” recipes.
What Are the Necessary Tools for Making Buckwheat Kasha?
Below are the main kitchen tools you need to gather to prepare this dish:
What Are the Basic Ingredients for Buckwheat Kasha?
Here are the essential components of buckwheat kasha:
How to Make Perfect Buckwheat Kasha?
Here is the detailed step-by-step guide for making buckwheat kasha:
Step 1: Prep the Cereal
Measure the 5.29 oz of buckwheat grain and transfer it into a pan. Rinse it thoroughly under running water multiple times. Then place the pan on the heat source.
Upon reaching boiling point, lower the heat, sprinkle in 0.5 teaspoon of salt, and allow the cereal to cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Sautรฉ the Onion and Lard
While the cereal is simmering, chop 1 medium onion and 1.76 oz of lard into small pieces.
Heat a little oil in a different pan and toss in the onion and lard mixture. Fry until it achieves a golden-brown hue, and season with black pepper.
Step 3: Combine and Serve
When the cereal porridge is fully cooked, mix in the sautรฉed onion and lard. You can choose to do this directly on the serving plate; serve the porridge, then garnish with the fried onion, lard, and some fresh greens.
Best Tips to Make Buckwheat Kasha Like a Pro
To cook the best buckwheat kasha, please follow these guides:
What Sides Go Best with Buckwheat Kasha?
Your buckwheat kasha will taste the best when paired with the following:
Whatโs the Proper Way to Store and Reheat Buckwheat Kasha?
In this part, I will show you the ideal way to ensure the freshness of leftover buckwheat kasha and how to reheat it:
Storing Buckwheat
Drawing from my experience cooking various Ukrainian dishes, I’ve found that buckwheat, a crucial ingredient, keeps best when stored in the fridge or freezer. Regardless of where you choose to keep it, always ensure it’s in a sealed container. This way, you prevent any moisture or tiny critters from spoiling your buckwheat.
Reheating Buckwheat
When it comes to reheating your cooked buckwheat, trust me, the microwave is your best friend. Just remember to cover it with some plastic wrap. Otherwise, you’ll have buckwheat bits decorating your microwave interior.
If you prefer, you could also reheat it in a nonstick skillet on low heat – butter is optional. Cover the skillet with a lid for even and quick reheating. It’ll be piping hot and ready to eat in just a few minutes.
Don’t Miss Out on Cooking Buckwheat Kasha – It’s Sure to Delight!
Definitely give this straightforward, delicious, and nourishing recipe a whirl. Its simplicity will surprise you, demanding neither an abundance of time, special ingredients, nor complicated kitchen gadgets. Consider this recipe as a foundational guide, inviting you to experiment and incorporate your own preferred flavors.
My dear food enthusiasts! Stay tuned for more updates, and show some love by liking and sharing this recipe, as well as my other creations, with your circles!
Please, take a moment to share your experiences in the comments – I’m eager to hear how your dish turned out, the unique touches you introduced, and what culinary adventure you wish to embark on next. Wishing you all the greatest!
Buckwheat Kasha Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
- Skillet
- Spatula
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1.76 oz. lard or bacon
- 5.29 oz. buckwheat grain
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
- 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Some greens for serving green onion and parsley
Instructions
- Measure the required amount of cereal, add to the pan, rinse under running water. Put the pan on the fire, add salt, and let the grits cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Chop the onion and lard, add a little oil to the pan, and fry until golden brown, add black pepper.
- When the porridge is ready, mix it with fried onions and lard.
Video
Notes
- Choose high-quality fresh buckwheat.
- Before cooking, soak the cereal in water for a couple of minutes.
- Cook the porridge a little less if you prefer a more crumbly consistency, and cook a little longer if you prefer a more viscous one.
- After cooking, let the dish brew for a while – cover the pot with a lid, and wrap it in a kitchen towel.
- Use different spices to give the dish your favorite flavor.
- Add butter if you want a more flavorful but fatty dish (optional).
- There are many options for dressing, it can be based on minced meat, regular meat, mushrooms, vegetables, in general, anything. You can add your favorite foods to the fry.
Nutrition
Olena Medvedieva
Content Writer
Expertise
Content Writer, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Culinary Storytelling, Food Photographer, Food Stylist, Chef
Education
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine
Introducing Olena, a culinary enthusiast from Ukraine, whose journey from philology studies to the world of food photography and styling is nothing short of inspiring. With a deep-seated love for both cooking and capturing stunning visuals, Olena’s work reflects her passion for culinary arts and her commitment to showcasing the beauty of Ukrainian cuisine. Her expertise extends beyond the kitchen, as she combines her creative talents to produce captivating images that grace numerous online platforms and publications.