Grain is the edible seed kernel of cereal plants or grasses. The most common cereal grains in America are barley, corn, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, wheat and wild rice. These inexpensive sources of protein and complex carbohydrates provide food for people throughout the world. In vegetarian cultures and areas where meat is in short supply, grains are an important part of every meal.

Grain undergoes processing of various kinds before it reaches the marketplace. Some grains have tough inedible husks that must be removed. Grains are often processed to prolong their shelf life or make them easier to cook. Polishing grains removes the bran and germ from the kernel. Steaming softens kernels. Cracking or grinding shortens cooking time. Since the bran and germ contain much of the B vitamins and fiber and some of the protein, polished grains are not as nutritious as whole grains.

Barley, native to Ethiopia, is available in several forms. Hulled barley has only the husk removed so that its bran and germ are intact. Scotch barley and barley grits have been further processed by grinding or cracking. All of these forms can be found in health food stores. The most common form of barley is pearled, meaning that it has been polished many times to remove the bran and most of the germ. Pearled barley is also available in a quick-cooking form. Pearl and quick-cooking barley are readily available in supermarkets. All forms of barley have a nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture.

Although buckwheat is technically not a grain, but the fruit of a leafy plant, it is used like other grains in cooking. Unpolished buckwheat kernels, called groats, and ground kernels, called buckwheat grits, are available in health food stores. Toasted groats, known as kasha, are also available. This grain has a strong, nutty flavor that is more pronounced if the groats are toasted.

Bulgur is a processed form of wheat produced by steaming, drying and crushing wheat kernels. It has a tender, chewy texture.

See Corn entry for additional information.

Oats are one of the most nutritious of grains. Whole oats must be processed before they can be eaten. They are cleaned, toasted and hulled to make oat groats. Scotch oats, steel-cut oats and Irish oatmeal are groats that have been cut into pieces but not rolled. They are available in health food stores. They are used to make cereal. Most of the oats sold in America have been further processed. Groats are steamed and flattened into flakes to make regular rolled oats, often called old-fashioned oats. Further processing yields quick-cooking rolled oats. Regular rolled oats need about 7 minutes of cooking; whereas quick-cooking rolled oats take only 1 minute to cook. These two products are interchangeable in baking recipes. Instant oats have been precooked and dried, requiring only the addition of boiling water. The more processed the oats, the less chewy the texture they have when cooked. In addition to their use as a cooked cereal, rolled oats are used as an ingredient in cookies, muffins and granola.

See Rice entry for additional information.

Rye is the unpolished whole kernels or berries of rye grass. It is best known as the source of rye flour, but the kernels can be cooked and used as other grains. It has a strong, distinct flavor. Rye berries are available at health food stores.

This grain plays an important part in the cuisines of much of the world. There are thousands of varieties of wheat. The three most common types are hard, soft and durum. Hard wheats are high in the proteins, glutenin and gliadin. When moistened these proteins form gluten, the elastic substance that creates the structure of baked goods and traps the gases that cause them to rise. Hard wheat flour is used primarily for yeast breadmaking; soft wheat for cakes, cookies and quick breads; and durum wheat for pasta. Unprocessed wheat kernels (berries) can be cooked like any other grain. Wheat kernels are cut with steel blades to form cracked wheat, which can be cooked and served as a breakfast cereal or used in stuffings and breads.

See Wild Rice entry for additional information.

Grains containing the bran and the germ (whole-grain products) are more nutritious but also more perishable than polished (processed) grains. When purchasing grains in bulk, choose a store with rapid turnover where grains are stored in covered containers in a cool, dry place.

Because of their tendency to become rancid, unpolished whole grains should be bought in small quantities and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep up to six months. Polished kernels stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container will keep up to one year.

Each grain has its optimum cooking time and each requires a different amount of cooking liquid. As a general rule, most uncooked grains will expand two to three times their original size during cooking so choose a saucepan that will hold the expanded grain. A general reference chart for cooking grains follows. Many grains are added to boiling salted water. Some must be added to cold water. For specific directions about an individual grain, read label directions carefully. Most grains should be cooked until tender but firm and until all cooking liquid has been absorbed.