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Vegan Cooking
A New Look at Ancient Grains
by Dreena Burton, author of The Everyday Vegan published by Arsenal Pulp Press
Healthy foods can replenish our energies and get us ready to start the new year, a new diet, or a new beginning. Ancient grains are nutrient-rich and an important part of a healthy vegetarian diet. Plus, with colder winter days upon us, these whole grains are hearty and comforting. Here we will look at kamut, quinoa, millet, and spelt, highlighting some history, nutrition, cooking tips, and a delicious millet recipe.
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Kamut
Kamut is an ancient relative to wheat that originated in Egypt. It is a good substitute for wheat, and has a pleasant sweet and buttery flavor. It has up to 20-40% more protein than wheat, up to 65 percent more amino acids, contains more healthy fatty acids, and is rich in magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E.
The whole kernels, sometimes called kamut berries, are two to three times the size of wheat kernels. They are a little chewy when cooked, so are often better mixed with other grains, or in soups and casseroles. To cook, use 3 parts water to 1 part kernel (e.g. 3 cups water and 1 cup kamut kernel), bring to boil with a few pinches of sea salt, then reduce heat to low and let simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours or more until tender. Alternatively, soak the kernels overnight, and then cook for 30-40 minutes until tender.
Kamut flakes are available and are much like oatmeal. They are made by heating the whole kernels and then pressing them flat. To cook kamut flakes, combine 1 part with 2 parts water, bring to a boil, then let simmer 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat, stir through, and add non-dairy milk if desired.
Kamut flour is another option. It can be used in breads, muffins, snack loaves and cookies. It has a nutty flavor, but is also more coarse than wheat flour (similar texture to cornmeal flour). While this texture does not work in all baked goods, it is lovely in many, and the flour can be combined with others (spelt, oat, barley, wheat) for great results.
Quinoa
Pronounced "KEEN-wa," this tiny grain can be red, orange, black, yellow, or white (although white is most common). Quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrition. It is a complete source of protein, with all eight essential amino acids, and is high in calcium, iron, and phosphorous. Uncooked quinoa resembles flattened couscous, with a little ring around each grain that comes out like a tail when cooked. This ring holds the majority of quinoa's protein and gives it a very slight crunch.
Quinoa is very easy and quick to cook. It does need a few minutes of extra rinsing before cooking, however, to remove its natural bitter coating. To cook, combine 1 part quinoa with 2 parts water and a few pinches of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 12-15 minutes. Quinoa is very light and fluffy, with a very slight crunchy texture, and is easy to digest. It is not a sticky grain, like rice or millet, and so it does not work well in veggie burger or stuffing recipes, or others requiring the grain to hold a form. It is best in side dishes and is particularly nice in cold salads.
Quinoa flakes are also available and can be used for breakfast cereals. Combine 1 part flakes with 2 cups boiling water in a heat-safe dish. Let sit for 60 seconds, stir, and add non-dairy milk if desired.
Millet
Millet was widely consumed before rice and wheat became dominant grains. It is still a staple in Africa and Asia, but in Western countries it is sold primarily as birdseed (in its unhulled form). Now that we are becoming more informed about whole grains, millet is gaining popularity.
Millet can be purchased in health food stores and some groceries. It is a small, yellowish round grain that looks much like couscous. It is a good source of phosphorus, B vitamins, iron, and the essential amino acid lysine. It is easy to digest, and is also easy to cook and can be used in a variety of recipes.
To cook, rinse first and then combine 1 part millet with 2 1/2 parts water and a few pinches of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, without stirring, for 15-20 minutes. If you cook it longer with more water, it will become soft and mushy, which could be a good thing, depending on your recipe. For instance, you can make breakfast cereals with millet, using 5 cups of liquid (combination of water/non-dairy milk/juice), and cook for 45 minutes or more (you can stir to help break up the grain). Cooked regularly, millet works well in casseroles, side dishes, and salads, and is very nice combined with other whole grains. Since it gets a little sticky when cooled (or cooked longer), millet also works great in veggie burger recipes and stuffings.
Spelt
Spelt can be a great alternative for some people who cannot eat wheat (although since it is related to wheat, others cannot tolerate it either). Spelt has a pleasant, mild, nutty flavor.
Whole-grain spelt is an excellent source of riboflavin, a very good source of niacin, a good source of dietary fiber and zinc, and has up to 25% more protein than regular wheat.
To cook whole grain spelt (spelt berries), first rinse and then combine 1 part spelt berries to 3 parts water and a few pinches of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 50-60 minutes, until tender.
Spelt flakes are processed from whole spelt berries, and can be used like rolled oats in recipes and breakfast cereals. To cook, combine 1 part flakes with 3 parts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Stir and add non-dairy milk if desired.
Spelt flour is also available in health food stores in both whole-grain and refined forms. Both substitute well for wheat flour in recipes, although you may need to adjust by either reducing or increasing the amount slightly, depending on the recipe.
With the increasing awareness and demand for these ancient grains, they can also now be found in a variety of processed cereals, breads, crackers, and pasta products. Look through your grocery and health food stores and try substituting a few for some of your wheat-based staples.
On to a recipe! This one from my first cookbook, The Everyday Vegan, is a nice way to use millet. Cooked millet becomes sticky when cooled, so it is a great base for patties. These are very flavorful, and when paired with a salad and topped with a sauce as suggested below, round out a lovely meal.
Black Bean Millet Patties
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil (for sauté)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- couple pinches crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
- 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons mild miso (e.g., brown rice miso)
- 3 cups *cooked millet
- 1/2 cup cooked black beans (canned ok)
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and chopped
- 3-4 Tablespoons raisins or currants
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup coarse flour (e.g. Kamut flour) or other flour, for coating
- bread crumbs or flour (optional, if needed to bind the mixture a little)
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil (or more, if desired, for frying patties)
*Note: You can substitute other cooked grains for all or some of the millet, such as brown rice. The ability of the patties to "bind" will depend somewhat on the grain. So, you may need to add extra tahini and/or some breadcrumbs or flour to help the patties come together (as noted in the directions below).
In a skillet, heat the 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard seeds, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add onions and stir. Reduce the heat a little and cook for another 3-4 minutes until onions soften (you may want to add a little extra olive oil if mixture gets too dry). Remove from heat and stir tahini and miso into the warm mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add this mixture (scrape out everything!) with the remaining ingredients (except the coarse flour used to coat the patties, and the olive oil) and mix well. If the mixture does not hold together when pressed, you may want to add some breadcrumbs, flour, or a little extra tahini. (Also, chilling the mixture before shaping the patties will help them bind). Scoop mixture out and form patties with your hands (you may need to rinse your hands periodically to keep mixture from sticking). Once shaped, lightly coat patties in coarse flour. If you have time, cover with plastic wrap and let chill for 1/2 hour or more. In a skillet coated with the remaining olive oil, fry patties over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, until lightly browned (try to flip just once or twice to help keep their shape). Makes 9-10 patties.
These patties are delicious on their own, but are also wonderful topped with a little sauce, such as "Tahini-Tamari Sauce," "Mi-so Good Gravy" (pages 74 and 72 respectively of The Everyday Vegan), some chutney, or even a plum or sweet and sour sauce!
Nutritional Analysis: For 10 patties, per patty: Calories: 182; Total Fat: 5.6g (Sat. Fat: 0.7g); Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrate: 27.4g; Fiber: 3.5g; Protein: 5.4g.
Read the VegFamily review of The Everyday Vegan
Buy The Everyday Vegan.
Dreena Burton is a vegan mom of a vegan daughter and the author of The Everyday Vegan. You can learn more about Dreena and her unique cookbook at www.everydayvegan.com. Read VegFamily's review of the book here.
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