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Packsize | 10 LB |
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Chana Dal (Pisum Sativum) are small peas which are peeled and cut in half. This type of Legume dates from 6000 BCE and have been found buried with Egyptian mummies. They were brought to India by the Greeks and are now an important staple food in South Asia.
Suggested Use:
When cooked they lose their shape and are excellent for thickening soups and stews. Typically used with curry, they can be seasoned with many different herbs.
Basic Prep:
Rinse 1 cup of dry peas in several changes of cold water, until water runs clear. Cover with unsalted water, bring to boil over medium-high heat, cook for 25-30 minutes until peas are tender but still firm. One cup dry yields 2 cups cooked.
Corn is the only grain whose origin can be traced to the Americas. When Christopher Columbus landed in modern day Cuba some of his crew went inland and came across maize. Corn was then brought back to Europe. In Italy Corn is most often served as Polenta. This dish comes from the Lombardy and Veneto regions of Italy. Polenta can carry many different flavors and is a filling, nutritious dish. Fine Polenta has a slightly less coarse grind than traditional Polenta and has a shorter cooking time.
Kasha, or buckwheat groats, is native to central Asia and was introduced to Europe by the end of the Middle Ages. Perhaps due to its long history and travel across continents, the term kasha has come to refer to a variety of cereal-type products. In America, the term refers to roasted buckwheat groats, which have a toasty, nutty flavour. In Russia, kasha is used in a broader sense for a variety of cooked grains, including buckwheat, millet and oats. Buckwheat kasha is not a true cereal, since it is not a grass. Its kernels are actually achenes, which are dry fruits similar to the seeds of strawberries. While buckwheat may be known to many, particularly as a flour in pancakes and other specialty items, this month we will focus on kasha, a nutritious and tasty alternative to better-known grains.
Einkorn, literally meaning “single grain” in German, was first cultivated five to ten thousand years ago. Einkorn is an ancient grain that is not yet commonly known in the western world, but used often in the Mediterranean region and in the mountainous areas of Europe. This grain is slightly finicky, completely delicious, good for you, has a slight yellowish tinge, and smells (and even looks) a little like corn flour. Unlike modern wheat which has a long history of hybridization, einkorn is a “diploid”, containing only two chromosomes unlike the modern cousin, which contains six, making it a “hexaploid”. Einkorn is packed with nutrition. It is a rich source of the beta carotene lutein, a powerful antioxidant. Einkorn has the highest amounts of lutein of any other variety of wheat. Einkorn is also a rich source of tocotrienols and tocopherols, powerful antioxidants and forms of Vitamin E. Compared to modern wheat varieties, einkorn has higher levels of protein, crude fat, phosphorous, and potassium.
Black Barley is also known as Purple Hull-less Barley. Originally from Ethiopia, this variety has not been raised until recently because of the low yield. This is actually the only grain that can go from field to table without being processed, because the gloom or bran layer stays attached to the kernel, and is edible.
Suggested Use:
The shape of this hearty grain resembles a coffee bean and cooks to a glossy purplish-mahagony color. It is wonderful in soups and stuffings or alone as a beautiful alternative to rice (Because of a somewhat chewy texture, it is best mixed with other grains.)
Basic Prep:
Rinse well, add 1 cup of barley to 3 cups of boiling water. Simmer covered 35-40 minutes until liquid is absorbed. For a fluffier grain, soak Barley in water for 5 hours then simmer covered for 15 minutes. One cup dry yields 3-1/2 to 4 cups cooked.
Spanish Pardina Lentils(Lens esculenta) have been eaten for over 8000 years. Lentils originated in Southwestern Asia along the Indus River. They are a staple food for many South Asian cultures. The Latin word for lentil, lens, was used in the 17th century to describe eye glasses. This is because of the similarity in shape between the legume and an eyeglass lens. Lentils are the seed of a small shrub. Lentils do not require soaking. Simmer 1 cup lentils with 4 cups water 12 minutes for salads, 20 to 25 minutes for main dishes. Skim the water while cooking, drain. One cup dry yields 2-1/4 cups cooked.