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How to Cook Whole Grains by Carol Fenster

by contactus@relishrelish.com 11. May 2009 11:19
One of the chief reasons people cite for not cooking whole grains is “it takes too long.” I agree, some whole grains like brown rice eat up (pardon the pun) precious time in the kitchen. But it's critically important to include gluten-free whole grains in our diet because they supply fiber and important nutrients.

Some whole grains cook very quickly, such as quinoa and amaranth so they're easy to fix and can cook while you're preparing dinner. Other grains can take up to 45 minutes to an hour. I am time-challenged, just like you. So, I've called in the troops for help. My helpers are my slow-cooker and my pressure cooker.

The slow-cooker is a wonderful time saver. I often cook whole grains overnight in the slow-cooker and enjoy a hearty breakfast from that batch,  topped with yogurt, honey, and a little cinnamon. Then I refrigerate the rest and serve as a side for lunch or dinner throughout the week. Brown rice works especially well using this technique.

Another helper is my pressure cooker. To tell the truth, I'd been afraid to use it for a long time even though I once used one quite frequently. It shortens cooking time immensely and the grains turn out very nice. Just follow the manufacturer's directions and you'll be fine. I use mine for brown rice and sorghum, especially. I cook up large batches and then eat it at various meals throughout the remainder of the week.

One of the potential problems with the slow-cooker is that it can turn the grains slightly mushy. That's fine if you like mushy grains that are more like porridge; some grains like brown rice are very good this way.

I also sometimes cook whole grains in a rice cooker, which you can the amount of time needed to cook the grains. It automatically turns off, which is great in case you're away from the kitchen.

Of course, you can always cook brown rice on the stove in the traditional way, but here's a way to cook it that results in grains that are light, fluffy, and aren't glued to each other. It's not especially quick, but I especially like this technique when I'm serving brown rice for dinner guests and don't want mushy grains.  Use about  6 times the amount of water; in this case  6 cups of water  to 1 cup brown rice. Bring the water to a boil  in a stockpot or other large deep pan that has a well-fitting lid and add salt to taste and the 1 cup rice, then let it boil gently for 30 minutes WITHOUT THE LID.  

I always start the  brown rice first thing when I'm preparing dinner so I can be in the kitchen while it boils. Occasionally, if its boiling too hard it may get a little low on water so add more hot water if necessary. When the time is up, drain the rice through a sieve for 5 seconds and return it to the pot. Cover with the lid and remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes and then serve. Your reward is delicious rice that looks a professional cooked it.

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About the Authors

Ann Bender & Karen Hutcherson
Marketers by profession, both Ann and Karen have a fondness for good food and healthy cooking. They understand the importance of the nightly family dinner and developed Relish! a premier menu-planning service (relishrelish.com). Relish! received hundreds of requests to offer the same type of service but to make it gluten-free. Because of the complexity of the product, they solicited the help of gluten-free cooking expert, Carol Fenster, to provide all of the recipes and many of her famous bread and dessert recipes!