Where Does All The Wheat Go?
How wheat is enjoyed around the globe
There’s a whole wide world of wheat products out there to discover. It’s no surprise, seeing as how it is grown on more than 500,000,000 acres worldwide. While pasta, bread, cookies, and cakes are obvious bets on where to find wheat, dig a little deeper and you’ll discover that wheat is a major component in many cultures. Check out some of these dishes you might not have realized contain life’s simple ingredient.
Lo-Mein Noodles: Lo-mein noodles are the long, round noodles often found in stir fries and other Asian dishes. The noodles take well to heat and extended cooking, so they are often paired with chunky ingredients and sauces. Try stir-frying lo-mein noodles with beef and broccoli and bring take-out flavours to your own kitchen.
Naan Bread: Naan bread is a staple in Indian cuisine. As with most breads, naan bread is made with wheat flour and is finished with ghee or butter. Traditionally it is cooked in a tandoor, which allows it to cook up with those delicious, airy pockets while creating flavour with small areas of char. Next time you make naan, make sure to try some different flavour variations as well. A little garlic really pumps up the flavour!
Couscous: These small steamed balls of semolina wheat flour are typically served with stew spooned on top. A staple food through North Africa, couscous dates as far back as 238 BC. In countries like Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco, couscous is served with vegetables such as carrots, potatoes or turnips, meats like chicken, lamb or mutton and a spicy broth. A vegetable couscous makes a hearty side-dish.
Wheat Beer: Wheat beer typically refers to beers that are brewed with a higher percentage of malted wheat to barley. Common in Germany and Holland, these beers are light in colour. Belgian wheat beers are often made with raw unmalted wheat. Often these beers will be cloudy in appearance due to the suspended yeast and wheat proteins in them. Perfect for a summer evening on the patio, many of the Belgian wheat beers pair perfectly with a slice of orange. Try a Wild Rose Wred Wheat or a Rickards White if you’re looking for a Canadian wheat beer.