HOME COOKING : The Base of the Pyramid

According to national surveys, we are eating more grains today than ever. Some supermarkets have bins filled with grains that until recently could be found only in natural-food stores--grains such as grits, groats, kasha and bulgur wheat.

So here’s a quick run-down of some of the grains you’re likely to see:

* Wheat berries are whole-grain kernels with only the outer layer removed. They must be soaked overnight to reduce the cooking time. Use 3 1/2 cups liquid to each cup of wheat berries when cooking. Cooking time is about one hour. Yield is two cups when cooked.

* Bulgur wheat is a wheat berry that has been steamed, then dried before being crushed into different grinds. (Don’t think that cracked wheat is interchangeable with bulgur; cracked wheat takes a lifetime to cook, whereas bulgur can be ready for salad with just soaking.) For each cup of bulgur use two cups of liquid. It takes about 15 minutes to cook one cup of bulgur; the yield is three cups cooked.

* Hominy is corn kernels that have been soaked in a lye solution and then washed to remove the hulls. This treatment puffs up the kernels; then they are dried. Although the word grits usually means dried hominy that has been ground into coarse bits, grits can be any dried grain coarsely ground. The same is true of the word groats , which means any hulled grain broken into fragments larger than grits.

* Oat or buckwheat groats can be found in health food stores. Use one quart of liquid to each cup of uncooked groats. Stir often and cook about 40 minutes; the yield is about four cups cooked groats.

* Barley was probably the first cereal cultivated by man. In Scotland it is used for soup, porridge, in cakes and in the distillation of Scotch whisky. Hulled barley has the outer hull removed; pearled barley has both hull and germ removed, leaving small, cream-colored balls that look like pearls. Hulled barley is soaked overnight and then drained. Use 4 1/2 cups of liquid to cook each cup of hulled barley. Hulled barley takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to cook. Pearl barley doesn’t need soaking. Use 3 1/2 cups of liquid to each cup of pearl barley when cooking. Cooking time is about 20 minutes. Barley swells much more than most grains. One cup of uncooked pearl barley yields 3 1/2 cups when cooked.

* Buckwheat has nothing to do with wheat: Wheat is a grass, whereas buckwheat is related to rhubarb. When buckwheat is parboiled, dried and coarsely ground, it is called buckwheat groats. Buckwheat can be found on supermarket shelves under the name kasha, which is toasted hulled buckwheat kernels. Use two cups of liquid for each cup of kasha. Cook in simmering liquid for about 15 minutes, turn the heat off, cover and let stand 10 minutes before serving. One cup uncooked kasha yields 2 1/2 cups when cooked.

Some cooks beat and stir a whole egg into the uncooked kasha; then it is dry-cooked and stirred in a hot skillet until the egg has coated each grain and they are separate. Then put the mixture into a pot and cook as directed above, if you want to make this dish the Middle Eastern way.

GREEN BARLEY SOUP

Green barley soup has a lovely, light celery flavor with just a hint of green onions; the chewy pearl barley is a good companion to these flavors.

2 tablespoons butter 2 cups finely chopped celery with celery leaves 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions with green tops 1 quart chicken broth 3 cups water 1 cup pearl barley Salt * Melt butter over medium heat in 3- to 4-quart pot. Add celery and green onions. Stir about 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add chicken broth and water. Stir to blend.

*Stir in pearl barley. Cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt. If barley is puffed and tender, it is done. Remove and serve hot.

Makes about 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

139 calories; 483 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.48 gram fiber.

BULGUR WHEAT WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND WALNUTS

Bulgur wheat with dried cranberries and walnuts is a good supper dish. Serve it with buttered rye toast and have a creamy vanilla custard for dessert.

2 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth 1 cup bulgur Salt, pepper 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons butter Pour 2 cups broth into 2- to 3-quart pot. Bring broth to boil. Stir in bulgur. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cranberries. Turn heat to medium.

Cover and let simmer about 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. If dry, add another 1/2 cup broth or water. When bulgur is tender, remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and butter. Mix well. Serve hot.

Makes about 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

263 calories; 353 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.52 grams fiber.

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Takahashi stoneware from Yamaguchi, West Los Angeles.