Chrystalyn’s Corner: What’s a kamut??

kamut bread photo by Kaeru

So, have you put to use your new knowledge of grains?  I hope so.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read my past  articles here and here!  This week I’m going to talk about kamut.

Kamut comes from the ancient Egyptian word for wheat.  It has a rich, delicious, buttery, almost nutty flavor and a chewy texture.  It does contain gluten, but many wheat-sensitive people eat it without having any reaction.  The kamut kernels are two to three times larger than those of wheat and are 30% higher in protein.   You can use the ground up grain to make wonderful breads and pancakes.  It adds so much flavor to your baked goods!  You can also cook up the grain and use it in grain salads.  Kamut flour also works well for making pasta.  

I’d like to share a great roll recipe with you.  (Recipe is at the bottom of this post.)  My mom found this recipe, and we have tweaked it over the years to make it just how we like it.  Try it, and let me know what you think.  They’d be great with your Thanksgiving meal!

I should probably share with you how to take care of these grains.  It won’t do much good if you can’t use it later because it has bugs in it or the flour goes rancid. If you have your grains in whole form, you can store them for 30+ years in a bucket with oxygen absorbers.  Bugs can’t live in this environment.  Once it’s ground, you will need to use it right away for best for optimal nutrition or put it in the fridge for up to two months.  You can freeze it for up to three months.  Once you crack the grain, it has natural oils in it that can go rancid.  This is what you will taste in many store bought wheat breads.  There’s a big difference in taste from store bought and homemade bread made with freshly ground grains. 

Okay, hopefully I didn’t overload you but gave you the pertinent information.  I’m so excited to share with you next week about oat groats.  Yum!

Crescent Rolls

© 2009, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.