This is an old fashioned dish, a big favorite in Jewish homes of Eastern European descent, a real comfort food. My mom, being of German background, was not a fan, but my dad was a huge fan and would even cook buckwheat in the microwave as a breakfast cereal at times. Kasha Vanishkes was definitely his favorite way to eat them and I am a fan as well. They have a wonderful nutty aroma from the buckwheat and are a very filling and nutritious vegetarian meal which can give you a nice rotation from chicken or meat for lunch or dinner. There is something so wonderful about the combo of the onions, mushrooms, buckwheat and oil melding together and it hits all these wonderful flavor notes as well as childhood memories. A dish to be savored.

So gather your ingredients

Peel and chop your onions and put the oil in and fry till medium brown.

Slice up your mushrooms and add to the onions in the pan.

and cook till browned like so:

try not to overbrown them because then they give up liquid and you don’t want too much liquid, so keep an eye on ’em. K. Scoop the mushrooms and onions out of the pan and set in a bowl and put aside. Place the buckwheat groats into the same (used) pot.

On medium to low heat, toast the buckwheat in the remaining oil in the pan (if nothing is left, add a teaspoonful more), not too high a heat, you don’t want it to burn. The toasting of the buckwheat will give off a nutty aroma. Stir a bit, for about 3 minutes or so and add the beaten egg to the buckwheat, right into the pot.

Now stir stir stir, mixing the buckwheat with the egg so all the grains are coated with the egg till it’s dry. Then add the boiling water with vegetarian “chicken soup” powder and salt and combine well with the buckwheat right in the pot. Cover the pot, bring to the boil and lower heat and let cook on low for about 15 minutes or till liquid is absorbed. Now’s the time to cook your bowtie noodles to coincide with the cooking buckwheat.

Drain noodles and return to pot and cover to keep warm.

Now your buckwheat is ready, add the mushrooms and onions that you put on the side and toss well with the buckwheat.

When the mushroom/buckwheat mixture is hot, add to the bowtie noodles, toss altogether and serve. My dad liked to melt a pat of butter on top and I’ve added a dollop of sour cream at times. But, it’s delish as is, as you please!

Kasha Varnishkes or Buckwheat Groats with Bowtie Noodles

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

20 nice size mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 cups (360 grams) buckwheat groats or kasha, uncooked

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons pareve chicken soup powder or 2 bullion cubes

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups boiling water

Cooking separately:

1 pound (500 grams) bowtie noodles or small shells

sour cream/butter for serving, optional

Directions:

Sauté onions in oil, when browned add mushrooms and cook till brown but don’t give up their liquid. Scoop out of pan and place in bowl. Add kasha to remaining oil in pan (if none is left, add a teaspoonful) and toast about three minutes and the buckwheat will give off a nutty scent. Then add the beaten egg, stirring vigorously till kasha is coated with egg and is dry. Place soup powder in pot with boiling water and salt and pour over kasha, stir until combined. Cover pot, bring to boil and lower heat and cook on low for 15 minutes or till liquid is absorbed.

Cook bow tie noodles according to package instructions while buckwheat is cooking, until noodles are done and drain and return to noodle pot. Cover pot to keep warm.

Uncover buckwheat when liquid is absorbed and add onions and mushrooms and stir and continue cooking until the mixture is hot. Combine with cooked bowtie noodles thoroughly. Serve hot. It’s delish served with sour cream or a pat of butter on the side.