Rice

Seeds of an annual grass plant which thrives in warm climates and in plenty of water. Originated in China or India, used as the staple diet in China for at least 5000 years.

Whitish or pale brownish, oval seeds

High in dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins. Good source of complex carbohydrate. Brown rice is higher in fibre and more nutritious, because of the bran.

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

"Easy cook" or "quick cook" varieties are available - these are partially pre-cooked to cut down cooking time. Check the packets for instructions.

30 - 45 mins approx

4 cups water to 1 cup rice

To become edible, rice needs to be cooked in liquid for a significant time.
Basic preparation:

For liquid-based dishes, such as risotto, the rice is often cooked together with other ingredients and stock, rather than being cooked by itself first as described above.

Rice is frequently used as an accompaniment for Asian dishes such as stir fries. It also makes a great accompaniment to Western dishes like stews and casseroles.

Rice is also delicious mixed with pasta sauce or with pesto.

Rice can be used to make risotto, where other ingredients are added to the water or stock in which the rice is cooked, and the liquid is retained as part of the final dish.

Polenta

Flour ground from corn (as in sweet corn, corn cobs, also called maize) kernels. Corn is native to Mexico, and has been the staple food for the Indians of South and Central America for thousands of years.

Yellow (colour of corn kernels), consistency of wheat germ (if course ground) or gritty flour (if fine ground)

Contains vitamins and minerals and is an important source of complex carbohydrate and dietary fibre. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

Polenta comes in "instant" and "long cooking" varieties. Make sure you buy the instant version unless you have a very strong stirring arm and lots of time to cook!

(Instant variety) 5 minutes

3 : 1 (3 cups of water per 1 cup of polenta)

(Instant version. Preparation of the "long cooking" version is similar, but requires about 45 minutes of constant stirring.)

The consistency of polenta can be varied by slightly varying the amount of water. If you get your ratio wrong (eg 2:1 instead of 3:1) you will end up with a brick! If you add slightly more water, your polenta will end up with a softer, less solid consistency.

Polenta can be served hot or cold. If left to cool, it "sets" into a loaf-like consistency and can then be cut and served in "slices" like cake.

Great served with "pasta" style tomato or vegetable sauce or ratatouille on top. Can also be served with a soup or stew. Can also be served cold alongside hot dishes like ratatouille.

Polenta al olio with fennel seeds

Cook polenta as usual (see above), but stir in a handful of fennel seeds after adding the polenta to the water.

Pour a little olive oil over the polenta after serving, and add a little freshly grated cracked pepper.

Simple, but delicious!

Bulgar wheat (also called bulgar wheat)

A product made by grinding wheat which has already been cooked and dried. Wheat was first cultivated in Western parts of Asia, and has been milled since at least 4000 BC when the Egyptians used stone wheels to break down the grain.

Coarsely ground, brownish grain with rough consistency like crushed nuts.
(Think tabbouli - it's the grain used there with tomato and parsley.)

n/a

As for wheat. Wholegrain wheat is a highly nutritious grain with plent of vitamins of the B complex, vitamin E, protein, dietary fibre and a range of minerals. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

Don't confuse bulgar wheat with buckwheat. Buckwheat is not derived from wheat at all, but a totally different plant. Compared with bulgar it's equally delicious, but with a stronger flavour requires longer to cook.

10 mins approx

2:1 (2 cups of water to 1 cup of grain)

Can be used where rice would be used, eg with a stir fry, or as an accompaniment to a stew. Has a slightly nuttier taste and slightly firmer consistency, so can be a tastier alternative to rice in many cases.

Delicious mixed with a "pasta" style tomato sauce.

Can also be used in salads - for example, it's the main ingredient in tabbouli (cooked and drained bulgar mixed with parsley, shallots and tomato, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice).

Oats

Grain of the oat plant. Suited to cool wet areas, oats are native to Central Europe and were first used after their discovery by the legions of the Roman Empire.(References)

Round pale yellowish grain, can be spherical or flat (rolled oats)

Oats are extremely nutritious. They contain more fat than most grains and this is high in the essential fatty acids. They also have a much higher protein level than most grains and are a good source of iron, zinc, potassium and other minerals including manganese. They are a good source of vitamin E and other vitamins. They have a higher level of dietary fibre than most cereals and much of this fibre is available in the form of valuable gums. They are high in folate. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

Beware of the "quick cook" variety if you want any kind of texture apart from "mush"!

NOTE: Many commercial brands of oats available in Australia contain genetically modified ingredients. Check the packets carefully, choose organic, or check the GE Free Shopping Guide (available to Vegetarian Action supporters). See Why vego = GE free

5 - 10 mins approx, depending on cooking method

Depends on the dish required

Rolled oats and quick-cook oats can be consumed without cooking.

Alternatively, they can be boiled with liquid (like water or milk) to make porridge - a dish with a gluggy semi-solid consistency. Place in a saucepan with approximately the same volume of liquid and stir frequently/continuously until tender.

They can also be prepared in other ways - for example steamed (see Our Favourite super-simple dish, below), or cooked into cakes and other baked dishes.

Raw muesli: Oats can be combined with dried fruit, nuts and seeds to create the ultimate vego breakfast. Rolled oats do not need to be cooked prior to eating, nor does muesli need milk! When soaked in liquid, oats release their own delicious elements producing a slightly creamy, milky result. For a completely vego brekky, try your muesli with soy milk or just with spring water. Allowing your oats a little time to soak and yourself a little time to get used to the subtle flavour of the oats themselves. Add a banana for a lighter but really powered-up brekky!

Steamed muesli: see below

Oats are also used in many baked recipes such as cookies, cakes, loaves, bread etc

Tutti frutti steamed muesli

Use one cup of rolled oats per person with small-chopped dried fruit (eg prunes, dates, figs, mango - you can use just one fruit per "batch" or create your own mix!). Place in a steamer or collander over a saucepan of water (use enough water to ensure the oats are just above the water level). Bring the water to the boil and allow the muesli to "steam", also mixing in a little water with a spoon while it cooks to further moisten the oats.

When lightly tender, remove and add small-chopped banana and seeds (eg sesame, pumpkin - also try dessicated coconut) and about 1 teaspoon per person of finely-chopped citrus rind (orange, lemon or mandarine).

Serve immediately while warm.

Millet

Tiny seeds of millet plant. Millet began life in ancient Egypt and simultaneously in parts of Africa and Asia. It was a staple grain in China before rice and is still widely used in India, Ethiopia, the Soviet Union and Egypt.

Tiny pale-yellow spherical seeds, like tiny beads

Millet has a good content of protein. It also contains dietary fibre, various vitamins of the B complex and a selection of minerals. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

Check whether the millet you're buying is hulled or unhulled - if it's unhulled, it is pretty much "fit for the birds" - pretty fibrous and not so easy to prepare or eat

Depends on age of individual batch - ranges from under 10 mins to approx 30 mins

Plenty to cover

Hulled millet can be served as an accompaniment to dishes like stew or stir fry, much like bulgar wheat. It is also used in stews or soups, or mixed with various legumes.

Pre-cooked millet can also be incorporated into casseroles and loaves or baked dishes.

Millet does not contain enough gluten to be effective in levened breads. However, it is used for flat breads and is the major ingredient in the national bread of Ethiopia, injera. (References)

Millet is the main ingredient in our delicious, fresh and light but substantial dish, Millet & cauliflower saute

Quinoa

Small round white grains, with fine curved white fibres. Looks a bit like white lentils.

. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

10 mins approx

Plenty to cover

Essentially, quinoa can be used in a similar fashion and as a substitute for rice or burghar wheat.

It's delicious as a snack or light meal by itself, with a good dash of olive oil, a couple of drops of soy sauce and a few steamed veges thrown in - for example, any of steamed cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, peas, green beans, corn.

It also works as an accompaniment to other savoury dishes such as stews (like our Hearty Tempeh Stew), dahls, curries etc.

It can also be used in place of burghar wheat in tabouli.

Do you know a great recipe with Quinoa? Why not contact us and share it?

Barley

Seeds of the barley plant, one of the oldest cultivated cereals - originated in northern Africa and Southeast Asia, and was once used as the basis of the Sumerian measuring system from 4000 - 2000 BC.(References)

Small seeds similar in size, colour and shape to short-grain rice

Barley is a nutritionally useful grain containing about 6.5 % dietary fibre, much of which is valuable soluble fibre. It contains slightly more of most nutrients than rice. (References)

Supermarkets (look in health food or continental food section), continental food distributors, bulk food stores

Pearl barley is easiest to prepare

30 mins approx

Plenty to cover

In order to be edible, barley needs to be cooked in liquid for a significant time. Often it is incorporated into soups or stews, therefore it is cooked along with other ingredients in stock rather than being prepared by itself.
Basic preparation is similar to most grains:

In Middle Eastern countries, barley is either ground into flour and made into flat cakes, or boiled and used like rice. In Tibet, Buddhist monks carry a bag of barley flour mixed which is with yak's milk and cooked into a porridge called tsampa. The flour and milk can also be mixed to a dough, rolled into balls and eaten raw!

We mainly use barley in soups and stews. In a soup barley adds a delicious soft but nutty texture and flavour and helps the soup really stick to you.

Barley features in our exclusive recipe, Hearty Veggie Minestrone

References:

More on living vego:
vego store cupboard <> what's in your drink? <> additives & ingredients <> vitamin B12 <> vego = GE free <> hot topix <> myth busters <> make a difference