Main dishes
Buckwheat with mushrooms and onion
Buckwheat with mushrooms and onions is a simple, filling and very fragrant Russian side dish that easily becomes a meal on its own. Fluffy toasted groats soak up the mushroom juices and butter, while golden onions add a gentle sweetness. Swap the butter for oil and it is ideal for a meat-free or vegan dinner. Button mushrooms are available all year, and in autumn wild mushrooms make it even richer. To keep the buckwheat fluffy, toast it in a dry pan before cooking; it becomes more fragrant and doesn't turn mushy.
Method
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Sort, rinse and drain the buckwheat. Toast it in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty.
Tip it into a saucepan, pour over 500 ml of boiling water and add salt. Bring back to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
Meanwhile slice the onion into half-rings and the mushrooms 5 mm thick.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until golden.
Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat and fry uncovered for 8-10 minutes until the liquid evaporates and they brown. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
Take the buckwheat off the heat, add the butter and leave covered for 5 minutes.
Add the buckwheat to the pan with the mushrooms and onion, stir gently and heat through for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped dill and serve.
Tips for success
- Don't stir buckwheat while it cooks, or it turns sticky.
- Fry mushrooms over high heat without a lid; covered, they stew instead of browning.
- Salt the mushrooms only at the end, or they release their juice too soon.
- For fluffy buckwheat, use 1 part groats to 2 parts water by volume.
Serving and storage
Serve hot on its own with sour cream and pickles, or as a side for meat patties and chicken.
Keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a spoonful of water or in the microwave.
Variations
- With carrot: fry grated carrot with the onion.
- Creamy: stir 100 g of sour cream into the mushrooms at the end and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Baked in pots: mix raw buckwheat with the fried vegetables, cover with boiling water and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 336 g):
Per 100 g: 108 kcal, P 3.5, F 4.8, C 14. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
