Kitchen Dictionary: buckwheat

Although buckwheat is thought of as a cereal and has many grain-like characteristics, it is an herb. The triangle-shaped seeds have a black shell and are used to make buckwheat flour. The roasted kernels (groats) are commonly called Kasha and have a nutty flavor. Kasha can be steamed, boiled or baked. Since it is not a classic cereal grain, it can generally be tolerated by people with wheat allergies and gluten intolerance.

Ingredient

Season: available year-round

Matches well with: buckwheat flour = whole-wheat flour = all-purpose flour = other non-wheat flour