How to properly rinse buckwheat and is it necessary to do so?

Cereal dishes are included in the daily diet of many Russians. Buckwheat is especially popular in our country. But during the packaging process at factories, various debris often gets into the cereal, so it is advisable to wash it before cooking. Read our article about how to do this correctly.

Why rinse buckwheat

Buckwheat must be washed before cooking. This procedure is performed regardless of the cost of the product. Even expensive cereals often contain low-quality grains and various plant debris.

Is it necessary to do this?

You shouldn’t fully rely on the manufacturer’s integrity, even if his product is of high quality and says “clean” on the packaging. Expensive cereals also contain junk.

Both the health of the gastrointestinal tract and the taste of the finished porridge, which is very different from the taste of unwashed cereal, depend on washing. Even in buckwheat, which is intended for baby food, various contaminants are found.

In the highest grade cereal, the permissible amount of plant debris is 0.3%, in the second grade - 0.6%. To remove contaminants, the cereal is thoroughly washed.

Where does the garbage come from?

What kind of debris can be in the cereal:

1. Small grain particles that are not removed during production. They are not harmful in any way, but cooked buckwheat will not be crumbly.
2. Grains in a black shell. This is an ordinary cereal, but it was difficult to process. Such kernels spoil the taste of the finished product and injure the oral cavity.
3. Sand, slag, earth lumps, pebbles. All this is potentially dangerous for the body. There is a possibility that a person will injure a tooth while eating. Such debris gets into the grain during harvesting, but it is not completely removed during production.
4. Plant debris. It includes particles of stems, husks and grains of other crops, which also end up in buckwheat during harvesting.

Crepe must be washed before cooking. If bought by weight, it is sorted by hand before cooking.

How to properly rinse buckwheat

To remove debris from cereals, perform the following steps:

1. They sort the grains, removing foreign inclusions and unpeeled kernels. The easiest way to do this is in a wide container, evenly distributing the buckwheat along the bottom.
2. Rinse thoroughly several times until the water is clear. While washing, stir the cereal by hand so that no impurities remain at the bottom.

It is not recommended to grind the kernels too much, as they will be damaged, causing the finished porridge to stick together.

Before cooking

Before cooking, the sorted buckwheat is poured into a deep saucepan and placed under a strong stream of water for thorough rinsing. After this, the water is drained. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times. The main thing is that the water is clean in the end.

If after 2-3 washes the water is still dirty, repeat the procedure several more times. To make all the debris float up faster, the cereal is gently stirred. After this, start cooking the porridge.

Read also:

How to eat buckwheat if you have type 1 diabetes

Is it possible to eat buckwheat if you have type 2 diabetes?

Before calcination

If before cooking buckwheat you decide to calcinate it, then pre-rinsing is required.

Reference. Many manufacturers sell already washed and calcined cereals, which significantly saves effort and time during preparation. Porridge made from washed buckwheat has a slightly different color, and when heated, it acquires a richer taste.

To make it easy to calcinate the washed cereal, pour it in a small amount onto a dry baking sheet (up to 1 cm layer). Some housewives first calcine the buckwheat and then wash it, but only if it is not very dirty.

Garbage is removed in the same way as in the previous method. First, the grains are sorted by hand, and then washed under running water several times.

Before frying

Roasting makes buckwheat more crumbly and less boiled. But in this case, the cereal loses some of its beneficial carbohydrates.

It is not necessary to wash the grains before roasting, but most housewives still prefer to do this to remove unwanted impurities, such as sand and plant debris. The procedure also allows you to get rid of the unpleasant aftertaste. Wash in the standard way, which is used before cooking.

But during washing, the cereal absorbs moisture. When buckwheat is transferred to a frying pan for frying, the process partially turns into cooking. This will cause the grains to be half cooked. Therefore, some housewives do not wash buckwheat before frying, but they must sort it out by hand.

Before germination

Sprouted buckwheat is considered the healthiest. Compared to rice, it has about 80 times more antioxidants.

Reference. Sprouted buckwheat is also called “live grain.” It is beneficial for the nervous system and helps increase hemoglobin levels. Sprout the cereal in a warm place for 24 hours.

Washing process:

1. Green buckwheat is placed in a saucepan and filled with water. All floating particles are removed.
2. After this, it is poured into a container of 2 cm layers and filled with purified water for 3 hours.
3. Next, it is poured into a sieve and washed under strong pressure of running water.

After this, the green buckwheat is transferred to a container intended for germination, covered with damp gauze and a lid. Leave a small gap for air access. If small sprouts appear on the grains, this means that the buckwheat is ready to eat. It is used as a side dish or as an ingredient for salads.

How to rinse buckwheat if you don’t have a colander or sieve

Many housewives prefer to rinse without a colander. It is used only at the last stage, when all the debris has already floated in, in order to wash it more thoroughly.

The cereal is poured into a pan and filled with water, stirred to speed up the process. When the pan is full, drain the water and repeat the procedure until the debris stops floating and the water becomes clear.

How to drain the water

The water is drained by gently tilting the pan. This way, all floating particles will also be removed. During repeated washing, the water is not completely drained.

During the last draining, hold the cereal with your hand to remove as much water as possible. If there is no sieve, use cheesecloth or press the lid onto the pan and invert it completely. The remaining water will seep through the gap.

Tips and tricks

Basic tips and recommendations for washing buckwheat:

1. It is not advisable to grind the cereal too much during washing. This way it will absorb a lot of moisture and won’t be crumbly after cooking.
2. Housewives do not recommend washing in hot water. The cereal will swell, and the debris will float up poorly.
3. Be sure to sort out the buckwheat by hand, especially if it was purchased by weight.

Read also:

How to eat buckwheat during poisoning and can it cause it?

Calorie content and nutritional value of boiled buckwheat with milk

Life hacks for Cinderellas: how to quickly separate rice from buckwheat

Conclusion

Before cooking, buckwheat must be thoroughly washed to remove debris and improve taste. It is also important to pre-sort the grains to detect stones, especially if washing is not planned due to roasting.