A few weeks ago I was visiting a friend and she was just giving her three small boys their lunch. On the menu was something I’d never tried before – wheat berries, sold here in the UK under the brand name Ebly.

Wheat berries are simply grains of whole wheat. Mostly, wheat is ground for flour or flaked into cereal, but it is possible to cook it just as you would rice or barley. As they are whole grains, wheat berries are very good for you and can be used pretty much anywhere you would use rice or other grains.

I like them as a side serving, anywhere I would use brown rice, or you can stir them into salads or add to soups and casseroles. I found this recipe for a yummy sounding summer salad, and I’m planning to try baking some into my next loaf of bread for the added texture and nuttiness they are reputed to deliver.

Cooking wheat berries

Wheat berries will cook much faster if they are soaked overnight. Then rinse and drain, and cover with plenty of fresh water and simmer until tender. As with beans, it’s much easier to cook up a large batch and freeze extra portions.

If cooking from scratch, cover with plenty of water and simmer – allow up to 2 hours cooking time.

Wheat berries are also available pre-cooked, so you can save yourself the labour, just like you might with canned beans!

Have you tried them? I’m keen to try more ways of eating wheat berries, so if you have any recipes – please share!

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