Side Dishes

Fluffy Buckwheat

Fluffy buckwheat comes down to three numbers and one prohibition. The numbers: one part groats to two parts water by weight, 15 minutes on the lowest heat, 10 minutes off the heat under the lid. The prohibition: do not stir. A spoon breaks the kernels, and the starch that escapes glues the lot together.

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Fluffy Buckwheat — the finished dish
Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Per serving
325 kcal

Ingredients

  • What to use instead

    Green, unroasted buckwheat cooks in 10 minutes and needs less water, around 1:1.8. Skip the dry pan for it entirely.

Makes: 4 servings, about 900 g cooked

Method

  1. Step 1: Sort and rinse

    Pick out any dark kernels and husks, then rinse the groats in cold water two or three times until the water runs clear. The floury dust that rinses away is what makes kasha claggy.

  2. Step 2: Dry-toast the grain

    Tip the damp groats into a dry pan and toast for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, shaking, until they smell nutty. Toasting dries the surface so the kernels hold together in the water.

  3. Step 3: Add the water

    Transfer to a heavy pan, pour over 600 ml of cold water and add the salt. One part grain to two parts water by weight is the entire formula.

  4. Step 4: Bring to the boil

    Boil uncovered over high heat, skim off any foam, then put the lid on.

  5. Step 5: Lowest heat, 15 minutes

    Turn the heat right down and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid: every peek releases steam that the top layer of grain needs to finish cooking.

  6. Step 6: Ten minutes off the heat

    Without opening the pan, slide it off the burner and leave it for 10 minutes. The moisture redistributes, so the bottom stops being wet and the top stops being dry.

  7. Step 7: Fluff with a fork

    Pour in the oil and fluff with a fork rather than a spoon. A fork separates the kernels; a spoon mashes them.

Tips & variations

  • Tip

    For a softer result use 1:2.5 by weight, that is 750 ml of water to 300 g of groats. The cooking time stays the same.

  • Variation

    Onion and carrot, or mushrooms, fried separately and folded in at the end turn this into a meal. Do not cook them in the pan with the grain — the groats will take on their moisture.

  • Swap

    Green, unroasted buckwheat cooks in 10 minutes and needs less water, around 1:1.8. Skip the dry pan for it entirely.

  • Storage

    Up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered with 2 tbsp of water; the steam restores the kernels far better than a microwave.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving and for the whole dish
1 serving Whole dish 4 servings
Energy325 kcal1,300 kcal
Protein11 g44 g
Fat9 g36 g
Carbohydrates52 g208 g

Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.

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