Prune and Beet Sprouted Buckwheat

Following a Russian peasant tradition to create nourishing and satisfying meals from a handful of simple ingredients, this porridge is made with sprouted buckwheat, fresh beet root, prunes, and a generous serving of toplenoe maslo (clarified butter; or ghee).

Ghee makes it taste absolutely heavenly, and I recommend not substituting it to get the best flavor. Although you can  certainly use a vegetable fat – like flax seed oil (which was a staple during religious fasts when animal fats were prohibited), or coconut oil. We are not in the old country, after all 🙂 .

In Russia, prunes are used in a variety of savory and sweet dishes, and have been for centuries. They mellowed the taste of wild game and topped delicate desserts, equally loved by the rich and the poor. I still wonder why prunes fell out of favor in the States, and are considered to be an old folks ‘supplement’.

Buckwheat is one of the healthier grains you can eat – it’s high in protein, including essential amino acids called lysine and arginine, which are rarely found in grains or legumes, and are not manufactured by our bodies; it has low glycemic index and is full of vitamins and minerals. Those vitamins and minerals become more available for our bodies to absorb after we sprout buckwheat because they are not bound by the phytic acid found in all grains and nuts.

Because of the way it’s cooked, buckwheat in this porridge doesn’t become mushy and the groats stay separated, which gives it a nice texture. It’s easiest to use a Dutch oven for making this dish but you could get fancier and separate it into portions like I have on the photos here.

HOW TO MAKE PRUNE AND BEET SPROUTED BUCKWHEAT

Ingredients
2 tablespoons ghee (how to make ghee) or coconut oil, plus more for topping
2/3 cup prunes, sliced in 3 or 4
1 small beet, peeled and finely shredded
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
1 cup (150g) dry sprouted buckwheat (how to sprout buckwheat)
1.5 cup water

Instructions
Heat a medium Dutch oven (or any oven proof pot with a lid), melt ghee or coconut oil. Add prunes and saute on medium until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add shredded beets, mix and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and honey/maple syrup, if using.
Add dry buckwheat; mix everything together and cook for 5 minutes.
Add water, bring to slow boil and cook on low for 5-10 minutes.
Cover and place your pot into the oven and turn it to 250ºF. Keep it in the oven for at least 30 minutes, but better an hour or even 1.5 hours. Longer cooking at low temperature will caramelize the sugars in beet and prunes making it taste even better.
Serve topped with ghee or coconut oil.

Print Recipe

Prune and Beet Sprouted Buckwheat

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: RUSSIAN

Author: Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ghee how to make ghee or coconut oil, plus more for topping
• 2/3 cup prunes sliced in 3 or 4
• 1 small beet peeled and finely shredded
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
• 1 cup (150g) sprouted buckwheat (how to sprout buckwheat)
• 1.5 cup water

Instructions

• Heat a medium Dutch oven (or any oven proof pot with a lid), melt ghee or coconut oil. Add prunes and saute on medium until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Add shredded beets, mix and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and honey/maple syrup, if using.
• Add dry buckwheat; mix everything together and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add water, bring to slow boil and cook on low for 5-10 minutes.
• Cover and place your pot into the oven and turn it to 250ºF. Keep it in the oven for at least 30 minutes, but better an hour or even 1.5 hours. Longer cooking at low temperature will caramelize the sugars in beet and prunes making it taste even better.
• Serve topped with ghee or coconut oil.