Kamut: The Ancient Grain in Modern Times

Kamut is the trademarked name of Khorasan wheat – a grain whose name refers to the northeast region of Iran, where it was widely grown. Popular in ancient times and especially in Egypt, some people refer to Kamut as “King Tut’s Wheat” because legend holds these grains were found in the tombs of pharaohs. Kamut is an organic, non-genetically modified ancient wheat variety (although many gluten intolerant people can easily digest Kamut) that is delicious and nutritious.

Now grown in North America – primarily in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan – on certified organic farms, Kamut is gaining in popularity because of its nutritional content and rich, nutty flavor. Twice the size of modern-day wheat, Kamut looks like a long piece of golden or dark barley but unlike barley, has a chewy texture.  One half cup of dry Kamut contains about 13 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber and is a great source of iron, selenium, zinc, and magnesium.

Kamut is primarily sold three ways:  whole grain, stone ground whole grain, and milled whole grain (flour). The firm texture and rich, nutty flavor makes Kamut a great addition to soups, stews, pilaf or as a base for a salad. To cook, soak 1 cup of Kamut grains overnight in water. Drain the berries and add to a pot containing 3 cups of boiling water or stock. Cover, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes (50-60 minutes if the grains have not been soaked) until tender.  Drain excess liquid and use as desired.

To use as a cereal, purchase the stone ground whole grain Kamut (Bob’s Red Mill Organic Kamut is pictured at left). Bring 1-1/2 cups of water to a boil and add 1/2 cup of stone ground whole grain Kamut. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl (or mix with cooked steel-cut oats) and add cinnamon, a sprinkle of brown sugar, diced nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), and dried or fresh diced fruit, for a delicious hot breakfast.

Stone ground Kamut is gaining popularity as an ingredient in energy bars because unlike other grains, Kamut doesn’t lose a lot of its nutritional content when ground and processed.

Whole grain Kamut flour has a multitude of uses and can be used to make pancakes, waffles, and breads. Consider replacing a portion of whole wheat flour with whole grain kamut flour in any recipe that calls for whole wheat flour.

Whole grain Kamut can be purchased on-line through www.bobsredmill.com where a 24 ounce bag of organic Kamut sells for $3.19 and a 24 ounce bag of Whole Grain Kamut for hot cereal sells for $4. A 20-ounce bag of stone ground whole grain Kamut flour sells for $3.49. Purcell Mountain Farms also sells organic whole grain Kamut in a 1 pound bag ($4.95), 3 pound bag ($9.95), and larger bags. See the website:  www.purcellmountainfarms.com for a complete listing of products.

To learn more about Kamut, go to the International Kamut website:  www.kamut.com.