Black buckwheat gluten free organic

Uses and Recipes

Buckwheat is not a cereal like wheat or barley. It belongs to the same family as rhubarb and is known to botanists as Fagopyrum esculentum. Buckwheat is native to Siberia and northern China and was brought to Europe in the Middle Ages by crusaders who had been introduced to it in the Muslim world. Buckwheat flowers provide abundant nectar for honeybees and the whole plant constitutes excellent green manure. Buckwheat kernels are used in many ways around the world. In Brittany buckwheat is used in crepes, Breton far and chouchen mead, in Eastern Europe it is eaten as kasha and blinis, and in Japan it is made into soba noodles. The dark trigonal seeds of buckwheat are marketed in several forms, either ground into flour or left whole, as groats, in which case they may be hulled, cracked, or even sprouted, like alfalfa.

Buckwheat is easy to digest and provides plenty of energy. Up to 8% of a kernel consists of various proteins and the amino acids lysine and tryptophan. Buckwheat is rich in a number of vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium and selenium. Unlike cereals, it contains no gluten and offers an interesting alternative to wheat for people with low tolerance to gluten. Buckwheat also contains rutin, a heteroside with Vitamin K activity, which strengthens fragile capillary walls. Rutin thus encourages good circulation and helps to prevent varicose veins and similar problems. Studies are currently underway to establish whether buckwheat has nutraceutic properties that could be useful in lowering cholesterol levels and combating diabetes.

The products derived from the black buckwheat grown and processed by Aliments Trigone inc. are certified organic. Our black buckwheat is marketed either as stone-ground whole flour or as groats, available cracked (grits) or whole (groats). Hulled buckwheat groats are offered either raw or roasted (kasha). Kasha has a darker colour and a more pronounced taste than raw groats. Click here to view a label.

All our black buckwheat products are guaranteed to be gluten-free according to the norms of the “Codex Alimentarius”. These products are processed on a distinct production line and never come into contact, even indirectly, with products containing gluten. In addition, laboratory tests are conducted on a regular basis by Canadian Food Inspection Agency to verify the absence of gluten.

Uses and Recipes

Buckwheat can be used very much like wheat in most cases. Cookies, crackers, muffins, pancakes and pasta can all be made with buckwheat flour. Since this flour contains no gluten, buckwheat bread does not rise as wheat bread does. Cooked in water, cracked buckwheat kernels (grits) produce a creamy, highly nourishing porridge, very much like oatmeal porridge or Italian polenta. Hulled buckwheat groats are available either roasted (kasha) or raw. Both types can be added to casseroles, soups and stews or cooked like other grains, as a pilaf- or risotto-style side dish. Cooked buckwheat groats can also be used in salads somewhat like bulgur, semolina, pearl barley or rice.

Hulled buckwheat, whether raw or roasted, should not be over-cooked, since it can lose its texture. Combining buckwheat with egg (see recipe below) or cooking it pilaf-style ensures that the groats don’t become mushy. Kasha has a pronounced flavour that tends to dominate, while raw hulled buckwheat is suitable for delicate seasonings. Sprouted buckwheat kernels add the welcome taste of fresh green vegetables to many dishes.

• Buckwheat crepes
1 cup of buckwheat flour
2 eggs
1soup spoon vegetable oil (question: Is “cuillère à soupe” a tablespoon, which is more normal in recipes, or a soup spoon, which is nonetheless used in old-fashioned recipes?)
1cup water or milk
1 pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Add more liquid as needed to obtain a batter with the consistency of cream. For best results, allow to rest 30 minutes. Heat an oiled pan and cook the crepes on each side, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe. The pan does not have to be oiled after the first crepe. These crepes are delicious served au gratin, filled with sautéed vegetables and topped with cream sauce. They can also be served with apple butter or fruit and a dollop of yoghurt. Traditionally, they are eaten with a bit of butter and maple syrup or molasses. For a treat enjoyed by the young and not-so-young, sprinkle a crepe with grated cheese as soon as it is cooked on one side and has been flipped over. When the cheese melts, roll the crepe up and serve at once.

• Buckwheat grits – (porridge)
Put 1 1/2 cups of water in a medium-sized saucepan, adding salt to taste and bring to a boil. Stir in 1/3 cup buckwheat grits and lower heat to minimum. Keep at a simmer until the mixture thickens (8 to 10 minutes), stirring from time to time. Garnish with yoghurt or jam, or serve with milk and fresh fruit (for example, bananas, apples, peaches or berries) or dried fruit (such as dates and figs). Chopped or ground nuts or seeds may be sprinkled on the grits either as they cook or when they are served. Try adding nuts such as walnuts or almonds, or seeds like hemp, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin and poppy. Makes 2 servings.

• Hulled buckwheat groats – raw or roasted (kasha)
Basic pilaf-style recipe:
Put a measured amount of groats into a saucepan without oil or butter and heat the kernels until they begin to take on a golden colour. Add a volume of boiling water that is 2 1/2 times the volume of the groats and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes without stirring. Add a bit of vegetable oil and season to taste. Buckwheat cooked this way tastes especially good with vegetables like cabbage, celery, carrots, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, parsnips, onions, leeks, garlic, white mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms. Try this dish with a cheese like blue or goat cheese.

• Hulled buckwheat groats – raw or roasted (kasha)
Basic egg and groats recipe:
Mix a beaten egg with 1/2 cup hulled buckwheat groats. Put the mixture in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the kernels are separated. Add 1 cup of boiling water and cover. Reduce heat to minimum and let simmer without stirring until the groats are tender and the water absorbed (10 to 15 minutes). A half-cup of sautéed vegetables may be added halfway through the cooking time. Buckwheat cooked this way can be served instead of potatoes or rice. Makes 3 servings.

• Buckwheat macaroni
1 cup hulled buckwheat groats – raw or roasted (kasha)
1cup macaroni (uncooked)
1 onion chopped
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1tablespoon butter or tahini
basil, parsley and tamari sauce (natural soy sauce) to taste

Cook the macaroni in boiling water according to directions on package. In another saucepan, cook the onions and mushrooms in oil until they become soft. Add the buckwheat and combine well. Add 2 cups of water to the buckwheat mixture, cover and cook 15 minutes over low heat. Add the drained macaroni and the other ingredients. Accompany with raw vegetables.

• Buckwheat groats with vegetables
1 cup hulled buckwheat groats – raw or roasted (kasha)
2 cups water
1 clove garlic
1tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk of celery, chopped
tamari (natural soya sauce) to taste
fresh basil, thyme, parsley, chopped

Place buckwheat groats in a pan without oil and roast them for a few minutes. Add water and lower heat. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. In another saucepan, cook the vegetables in oil until they begin to soften and then add the cooked buckwheat. The mixture can be placed in a fireproof dish and gratinéed in the oven, or simply served with cream sauce spooned over it. Sprinkle with herbs and serve accompanied with a green salad.