A wheat berry, or wheatberry, is a whole

wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

kernel, composed of the

bran Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the component of a Cereal, cereal grain consisting of the hard layersthe combined aleurone and Fruit anatomy#Pericarp layers, pericarpsurrounding the endosperm. Maize, Corn (maize) bran also includes the p ...

, germ, and

endosperm The endosperm is a tissue produced inside the seeds of most of the flowering plants following double fertilization. It is triploid (meaning three chromosome sets per nucleus) in most species, which may be auxin-driven. It surrounds the Embryo#Pla ...

, without the husk. Botanically, it is a type of fruit called a caryopsis. Wheat berries are eaten as a grain, have a tan to reddish-brown color, and can vary in gluten and protein content from 6–9% ("soft") to 10–14% ("hard"). They are often added to

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

s or baked into

bread Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...

to add a chewy texture. If wheat berries are milled, whole-wheat flour is produced. Wheat berries are similar to

barley Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...

, rye, and kamut. Wheat berries are the primary ingredient in an Eastern European Christmas porridge called ''

kutia Kutia or kutya ( ; ; ) is a ceremonial grain dish with sweet gravy traditionally served mostly by Eastern Orthodox Christians and some Catholicism, Catholic Christians predominantly in Belarusian cuisine, Belarus, Russian cuisine, Russia, Ukra ...

''. In France, cooked durum wheat berries are commonly eaten as a side dish instead of rice or corn. This side dish is often called ''ebly'', from the name of the first brand of prepared wheat berries. In Romania and other Eastern European countries, the wheat berries (arpacas) are used in a special sweet dish called koliva for Christian Orthodox ritual. Puffed wheat berries.png, Puffed wheat berries File:Wheatberries_sauteed_with_spring_onion.jpg, Wheat berries cooking - soaked then sauteed with spring onion File:Wheatberry salad.jpg, A salad prepared with wheat berries

References

Wheat Cereals {{ingredient-stub

See also

References