What we call Merchant-style Buckwheat is, in Russian, Grechka po-kupechski alias Гречка по-купечески.
▶Buckwheat is a pseudocereal and in Russia it is mainly prepared as a porridge in many different ways and is known as “grechka,” which literally means “Greek grain.”
⭐It appears in the old saying used by Russians:
“Grechka is our mother and rye bread is our father”⭐
▶Russia is the world’s largest producer and consumer of buckwheat; for centuries it has been a principal source of nourishment for Russians, who have cultivated it since the 1400s.
▶The most popular kasha in Russia is buckwheat cooked and seasoned with butter.
In the merchant-style, it is prepared by cooking it with pork, onion and carrot.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Russian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups buckwheat (hulled)
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 10.6 oz pork (minced or cut into small pieces)
- 2 1/2 cups meat broth (or hot water)
- as needed vegetable oil
- as needed salt and pepper
Steps
Toast the buckwheat.
Sauté the onion and carrot in a drizzle of oil.
Add the pork, season with salt and pepper, add the buckwheat and finally the broth (or water) – buckwheat : water ratio 1:2 –
Cook for about 20 minutes.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is a “kasha”?
It is a variety of porridge usually made from buckwheat. Common for centuries across much of Eastern Europe, its meaning has evolved to include other types of grains such as: oats, rye, barley and millet semolina.
What are the other pseudocereals?
Among the best known besides buckwheat: amaranth, quinoa and chia.
