Photo by llsimon53

Dish of the Week: Buckwheat

When most people bring up buckwheat, the first thing that comes to mind is the character from The Little Rascals with enormous tufted hair. Some people may be more familiar with buckwheat in the form of the deep brown soba noodles found at Japanese restaurants. The noodles are one of my favorite applications of buckwheat — a slight roll in a sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sriracha and sugar topped with salmon, cucumber and spinach makes for a light, tasty meal.

But buckwheat, despite its name and grain-like uses, is considered a fruit seed, though it does fall under the classification of a pseudocereal. The seed form, known as groats, have a strong, nutty flavor that has been compared to dark bread and hops.

Many countries outside the U.S. use buckwheat frequently in their cuisines. In food applications, aside from Japanese soba noodles, it is often found in savory pancakes, namely of the blini and crepe variety. In blini, buckwheat plays a role in bolstering the robust flavors of eastern European cuisines, while in crepes it makes for a more flavorful wrapper compared to the usual white flour. Le Chat Noir in Tenleytown serves such buckwheat crepes with a variety of fillings. And for those who prefer the option of eating at home, Whole Foods offers a great buckwheat waffle/pancake mix.

In beer, buckwheat can be utilized as a gluten-free cereal for the malt. While not gluten-free, Rogue Brewery partnered with Iron Chef Morimoto to create a series of soba ales that take advantage of the groats’ nutty, hoppy flavors.