How to Cook Grains, the Easy Way
Plus seven ways to make them even better
Whether it’s rice, couscous, quinoa, barley, hominy, or farro, this process will allow you to cook almost any grain perfectly every time. You really don’t even have to measure anything. I’m providing a recipe for the method, but you don’t need it: Put the grains in a pot with water and cook them until they’re done the way you like them. Period. And scroll down for add-ins to make them more delicious.
Ingredients
2 cups white or brown rice, pearl couscous, quinoa, barley (any type), oat groats, buckwheat groats, cracked wheat, hominy, whole rye, farro, or kamut or 3 cups wheat berries
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil, other oil, or butter
Instructions
Combine the grain with a large pinch of salt and water to cover by about an inch in a small to medium saucepan. (Use 6 cups water for pearled barley, which predictably absorbs a more precise amount of water.) Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grain is tender. This will take as little as 7 or 8 minutes with pearl couscous and as long as 1 hour or more for some brown rice, unpearled or hulled barley, wheat berries…
