Nutty Buckwheat Pilaf

I think I'm falling in love with Buckwheat! I must admit, it wasn't love at the first sight (Or in german, es war nicht die Liebe auf den ersten Blick!) or taste (!) for this matter. Its nutty taste has started to grow on me. Buckwheat's nutty rich aroma is ever so pronounced when you roast it. Hence for this recipe I decided to roast it before hand.

What I love about this creation is the nutty creamy taste with a subtle aroma of coconut married with tangy flavour that is mixed with spicy, sweet and sour tastes. The recipe is also packed with nutrients, carbohydrates and fibre. It will keep you feeling full for some time.

Buckwheat is by far one of the most nutrient-rich grains available by mother nature. How can we not be so thankful, life is so beautiful in many ways, including adding some Buckwheat into our diets whether it is in the form of seeds or flour or even in the form of noodles such as soba and/or pasta.

I can’t even begin to count the number of times that people have told me that I can’t get enough nutrients on a gluten free diet! Do they associate nutrients only with Wheat, Rye or Barley? Potentially these vitamins may be lacking in one's diet that is gluten free such as Vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, folate, B12, D, E, and K including some minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Therefore it is essential to vary your grains intake and also eat more greens, fruit, pulses and seeds.

Buckwheat contains a high level of zinc which is important for a healthy immune system including improving male and female reproductive system and fertility, allevate your mood and prevent depression, prevent cancer and improve cardiovascular health as to name a few of the benefits, a good source of Vit B2 and niacin. Actually some auto-immune disorder sufferes may not be aware that in addition to the possibility of being allergic to gluten, they may also suffer from diabetes type 2. So, consuming Buckwheat regularly may lower the risk of diabetes and insulin.

Buckwheat is pretty versatile in terms of cooking - you can cook it like rice or even add into your soups. Of late I have also been experimenting with the Buckwheat flour, especially in making pancakes for breakfast. This one I will share in my future recipe posting.

This recipe serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

2 cups (200g) toasted Buckwheat

450ml pre-made vegetable stock (for this, I prefer to make my own from the pulp of the left over green juicing)

1 + 2 tbsp coconut oil, a total of 3 tbsp will be used

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 - 1 inch fresh ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp tumeric

2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 - 1 cup of sunflower seeds

1/4 cup medjool dates

1/2 cup goji berries

Blackpepper and salt to taste

Begin by placing a pot on the stove and turn on the heat. Bring to boil the pre-made vegetable stock and add in the roasted Buckwheat. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture simmer for 5 minutes until most of the liquid in the saucepan is adsorbed by the Buckwheat. Followed by adding 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low and leave it for another 8-10 minutes to cook until Buckwheat becomes soft. It does look a bit like rice when it is cooked.

In the meantime, place a frying pan on a stove and begin to heat the remaining of 2 tbsp coconut oil. Ensure it is on medium heat. When the oil is hot enough, throw in the shallots, continue to stir them until they become soft and golden brown. (I love the aroma of fried shallots). Remember to keep an eye for them and continue to stir them as you do not want to burn the shallots! When they are soft and golden brown, stir in the garlic and ginger. Let them cook for the next 1 minute. After that you can add in cinnamon, tumeric, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, dates and goji berries for 1 minute. Finally, add in the cooked Buckwheat and sunflower seeds. Ensure the ingredients are well mixed and stir to distribute the heat evenly. Now, your Nutty Buckwheat Pilaf is ready to be savoured.

For decor, I garnished the plate with tumeric leaf before serving it warm.

Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did! Have a great weekend.

Lots of love,

Aina

#dairyfree #glutenfree #plantbased