Ideally, grains should be soaked overnight prior to cooking. This will reduce the cooking time and aid in digestion. Combine the grains and full amount of warm water along with an acid, such as: Kombucha, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, kefir, whey, yogurt, etc. Use 1 tablespoon of the acid per cup of liquid. Start the soaking the night before, so the grains will soak at least 7 to 8 hours. After the soaking time has passed, begin the cooking process.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined virgin coconut oil per cup of grain (optional). Add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of sea salt per cup of grain (optional). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for time listed, or until tender and all water is absorbed if you soaked it. Do not lift lid during cooking time, except very quickly once or twice to make sure it is simmering gently. After time required, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Let stand, covered, for about 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. All done!
Also see the Gluten-Free Grain Cooking Chart.
Grain Cooking Chart
information from “Enchanted Broccoli Forest” by Mollie Katzen
| RICE (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Brown Rice (long grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Brown Rice (short grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 3/4 cups |
| Brown Basmati Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Brown Jasmine Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Black Japonica Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Wehani Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 cups |
| Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/4 hours | 4 cups |
| Manitok Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 50 to 60 minutes | 4 cups |
| GRAIN (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Amaranth | 1 1/2 cups | 25 minutes | 2 cups |
| Barley, Hulled | 3 cups | 1 3/4 hours | 4 cups |
| Barley, Pearl | 2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 4 cups |
| Buckwheat/Kasha | 1 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| *Bulgur | 1 1/2 cups | 30 to 40 minutes | 3 cups |
| Cracked Wheat | 2 1/2 cups | 7 to 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Cornmeal (Polenta) | 2 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Couscous | 1 1/4 cups | 10 minutes | 2 3/4 cups |
| Kamut | 2 1/2 cups | 1 3/4 hours | 2 1/2 cups |
| Millet | 2 cups | 25 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Oat Groats | 2 1/2 cups | 35 to 40 minutes | 2 1/2 cups |
| **Quinoa | 2 cups | 25 to 30 minutes | 4 cups |
| Rye Berries | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/4 hours | 2 1/2 cups |
| Spelt | 1 1/2 cups | 50 to 60 minutes | 2 cups |
| Teff | 3 cups | 15 minutes | 3 cups |
| Triticale | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 3 cups |
| Wheat Berries, Hard (Red) | 2 cups | 2 hours | 3 cups |
| Wheat Berries, Soft (White) | 2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 3 1/2 cups |
*Soak, don’t cook.
**Rinse first.
[...] Also see All Grain Cooking Chart. [...]
Are these cooking times for soaked grains? I didn’t know that Molly Katzen soaked her grains. If so, I am going to have to check this book out of the library! Thank you for posting this helpful chart.
Kelli – no they’re not, I realized that after a bit. The cooking time will be less than the times listed here, sometimes by as much as half. Watch for tenderness and full water absorption.
Wardeh, I’m confused. Your listing for couscous has an asterisk that means, “Soak, don’t cook.” We always cook our couscous, so I’m not sure what this means? According to this chart, do we not cook couscous? Because the chart also says to cook it for 10 minutes.
Also, in the reply you gave to Kelli, you said that the cooking times will be less than what is listed in your chart, sometimes by as much as half. I’ve always been taught not to check rice until the time is up…not to lift the lid at all until the correct amount of time has passed. Otherwise, the rice can become sticky and gooey. Would you mind explaining a little bit more to us about what the cooking time actually means on the chart, and about not cooking couscous? Thanks!
Julieanne
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/iLoveHomeschooling
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Julieanne – Thank you for pointing out those areas that need clarification!
Regarding the couscous –
the way I cook it is to pour boiling water over it, and let it sit covered, in the boiling water (but not on the burner) for 10 minutes. I do not believe this is a grain that needs to be soaked, because if it is made in a traditional way, the soaking/pre-cooking has already taken place before we get it. So, the process is really easy, just pour boiling water over it and let it sit.Oh, you know what… ignore me… when putting this together, I had a brain freeze, I guess… I was thinking of couscous as bulgur! So that is a mistake. Couscous does need cooking. I starred it by mistake.
As far as the cooking times, well… that is going to have to be a matter of experimentation. You’re right not to lift the lid unnecessarily. But, I find I have to break that rule.
What I do is take a quick “peek” about halfway through the regular cooking time to see if the water is all absorbed or not. I try to minimize the interruptions. In the case of rice, I find that it is cooked in about 25-30 minutes if it has been soaked overnight.
Hopefully this helps!
ohhh-this will save MANY a frustration in the kitchen. I’m going to print this out (if you don’t mind) and stick it on my fridge!
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C – No, I don’t mind! Enjoy! Let me know if you find any mistakes.
My site is set up so if you just hit Print (Ctrl-P), the post will print without all the sidebars, etc. It comes out formatted very nicely.
Umm good to know! I will remember that.
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Thank you sweet Wardeh!! warm loving hugs
Do I understand correctly? The grains/rice are cooked in the same water they soaked in?
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Marg – Yes! Though you may rinse them if you like.
I need some troubleshooting help! I cooked spelt berries for the first time, and since I just came across this table, it’s the only instructions I had. I soaked 1 cup berries in 1 1/2 cups water (with a little whey) overnight and cooked them today – brought to a rolling boil, added a little salt and olive oil, and left the lid on 50 minutes. Lots of water left. 10 more minutes. Still lots of water left. 20 more minutes. Drained the things and gave up. They’re pretty chewy, in my fridge waiting to be a cold grain salad (inspired by your post last week!). But I’m wondering: did I do something wrong? Should all the water be absorbed? Should spelt be chewy? I often have trouble with my soaked rice not being tender after cooking 45 minutes and absorbing all the water. I use 2 cups water to 1 cup rice, but I’ve found that when soaked, it actually needs a little more to be totally soft. Have you really cooked a cup of brown rice with only 1.5 cups water? NT’s “basic brown rice” has a 2:1 water:rice ratio too.
Katie – I will have to edit that chart. I’ve had it for so long and got it from a Molly Katzen book. I use 1:2/rice:water just like NT. As for the spelt, it has been a long time since I’ve cooked them, but I remember them being very chewy after a long cooking time. Are you certain they’re not done or are they just chewy?
You’re reminding me – I made those biscuits the other day with water, not milk. They turned out pretty good. Not as good, but still good!
[...] refer to the whole grain soaking and cooking chart for water to grain ratios, soaking and cooking directions, and specifications for which grains need [...]