13 Apr A comforting kasha bake

What’s in a kasha bake?

A kasha bake is one of my favourite ways to eat roasted buckwheat these days. It’s an easy meal to make for the family, which brings together the flavours of Poland without them being in your face. It also feels comforting in these first days of Spring and all the madness going on the world. A taste of home and sanity. This delicious grain is a staple in Eastern Europe. It’s smokey flavour combines perfectly with other earthy ingredients like wild mushrooms; strong flavoured meats, such as duck and bacon; as well as the sour, fermented ingredients which we love in Poland, such as gherkins and kefir. A bake is the ideal way to bring it all together into something that even a kasha novice would appreciate.

Kasha or kasza?

“Kasha” is the English spelling of “kasza”, which makes it clear how it’s pronounced. The word came into use relatively recently, when roasted buckwheat found more prominence. I’m all for anglicising Polish names, as it means that those foods are actually becoming popular (yay!). However, as with all anglicisations it isn’t quite correct. The word “kasza” in Polish literally means “groats”, so this type of roasted buckwheat groats would be “kasza gryczana prażona”. It is the second word “gryczana” that tells you what kind of “kasza” this is. Nevertheless, we will go with “kasha”, because in English, this is what is meant.

Nutritional benefits of buckwheat

Having recently finished a nutritionist course, it would be strange not to mention the benefits of kasha, as there are so many. Some even go as far as to call it a “superfood”, although that term has been so over-amplified that I think it’s lost much of it’s meaning. Much like anything I hear coming from Trump’s mouth these days. Firstly, it’s rich in rutin and fibre, whilst being gluten-free. This is because it’s actually a seed, even though it’s used like a grain. Kasha is also full of essential minerals, such as copper, magnesium and manganese.

Recipe for a comforting kasha bake

The important thing about cooking kasha is the steaming process. My grandma used to wrap the whole pan up like a baby and put it in my grandpa’s bed for about an hour. I have shortened this process, but it is important. If you don’t have any garlic salt, feel free to use normal salt and add a clove crushed garlic to the mushrooms, near the end of cooking time.