Wheat is one of the most commonly grown crops in the agricultural industry. It serves as a raw material for the manufacture of products and is also used in the household. Wheat is used to produce cereals, each type of which has its own characteristics. They are made from both hard varieties of cereal and its soft variety. Such products are used in cooking to prepare excellent dishes.
What cereals are made from wheat
The list with the names of varieties of wheat cereals is quite wide. It can be small, medium or large.The duration and features of its preparation depend on the size of the grains.
Poltavskaya
Poltava groats are made from durum wheat varieties. It has its own classification:
- Cereal No. 1. Such a product is completely devoid of the embryo, and is also partially cleared of seed and fruit membranes. The grains themselves are polished; they have an elongated shape with rounded edges.
- Cereal No. 2. The particles are medium in size and lack a nucleus. They are characterized by an oval shape with rounded edges.
- Cereal No. 3. Used for cooking porridge. It is smaller in size than the previous variety.
- Cereal No. 4 – crushed. The grains are very small in size, close to semolina.
Poltava groats are suitable for preparing porridges and dressings.
Artek
According to GOST, in Russia it is obtained from durum wheat varieties. The cereal itself is small particles, completely devoid of the embryo and partially freed from the seed and fruit membranes. After this, the grains are polished, and then packaged - and they go on sale.
Artek cereals have their own subspecies. They depend on the size of the cereal particles, but they have a common characteristic - yellow color and a pleasant wheat aroma.
Arnautka
There is no such name in GOST, so there are no special requirements for the product. This is just an additional characteristic indicating that the grains of the wheat variety with the same name are used in the production of cereals.
When making Arnautka, a hard variety of cereal is used. In this case, the wheat must certainly be spring and glassy. It is for this reason that the cereal has a yellowish color.
Arnautka is best suited for making porridges. In terms of its nutritional value, it does not differ from the cereal varieties Artek or Poltavskaya.
Manna
One of the most beloved cereals among children is obtained during the processing of wheat into flour. During this process, large particles of endosperm are sifted out, resulting in semolina. Its production is regulated by GOST standard No. 7022-97.
Semolina is divided into the following varieties:
- M. This cereal is made from soft wheat varieties, so it has a cream or white color.
- MT. It is also prepared from soft wheat varieties, but durum is additionally added in an amount of 20%. This component gives semolina transparency.
- T. It is made using only one durum, so it turns out yellowish or transparent.
Bulgur
This is a relatively new variety of cereal, so GOST has not yet developed a separate standard for it. This product differs from other products obtained from wheat grains in that it must be doused with boiling water. To get cereal you need:
- the grains are boiled until tender or doused with steam;
- the raw material is dried, as a result of which its surface becomes wrinkled and its color becomes darker;
- the wheat is slightly moistened, then the dense shells are removed from its surface;
- The second drying stage is carried out, thanks to which the bulgur gets its unusual nutty taste.
Then the bulgur is crushed and sifted, after which it is only packaged and sent to store shelves.
The grain sizes can vary from whole grains to small particles. The product is perfect for making porridges, soups, salads, and lamb meatballs.
Couscous
This cereal is prepared from semolina, which was obtained from durum cereal varieties. During production, the cereal is moistened, sticks together into small lumps - and “wheat” is formed, which is called couscous. The product undergoes additional processing aimed at removing unnecessary particles and dust. This cereal is sprinkled with flour or semolina, and then sifted.
The grains are quite miniature in size. They reach 2 millimeters in diameter. Some compare them to rice grains, others to small pasta.
Couscous makes delicious side dishes that go well with vegetables and meat. To make the porridge crumbly, it is better to steam it.
Spelled and spelt
Spelled is the name given to a whole group of soft wheat varieties. Spelled is one of the varieties of spelt. The cereal produced from them is characterized by the presence of a large number of films that are not threshed during processing.
Spelled and spelt are sold in the form of crushed cereals or whole grains. In the second case, wheat is suitable for germination, which is why it is revered by vegans and raw foodists.
Fricke
This is another foreign variety of cereal, so there are no Russian standards for it yet. It is made exclusively from young grains, which have already acquired a yellow color, but have not yet hardened or dried.
Freekeh is very popular in oriental cuisine. It is used for preparing dishes - soups, side dishes, cereals. The product goes well with fatty meats, fresh or stewed vegetables, and nuts.
Ptitim
This product can only conditionally be classified as a cereal. The principle of its production is similar to that of couscous.However, in this case, the granules are larger in size, which is why ptitim is also called small pasta. The product can be in the shape of rice grains, shells, stars, and it can also be painted in different colors using food coloring.
Ptitim is made from wheat flour obtained by processing durum wheat. The balls are formed artificially, so they do not soften during heat treatment. You can use cereals when preparing soups or salads.
Wheat flakes
Just like oats or corn, cereal is also made from wheat. The product is manufactured according to this principle:
- grains are steamed or boiled;
- the raw material is flattened;
- If necessary, the resulting flakes are additionally fried.
Wheat flakes cook quickly, are easier to digest, and saturate the body with essential nutrients. The production of the product is regulated by GOST R 50365-92.
What else is made from wheat?
Not only different types of cereals are obtained from wheat grains. Other valuable products that are in great demand are also made from cereal crops.
Flour
One of the most valuable products obtained from wheat processing is flour. It is necessary for baking - bread, buns, cookies and other similar products. It is also added to various types of pancake dough, and even sauces are prepared based on it.
The use of flour in folk medicine is known. Medicinal cakes with the addition of honey or mustard warm well and help fight inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system and hearing organs.
Important! Bread flour is made only from soft wheat varieties.But flour obtained from durum varieties of cereals is used mainly for the production of pasta.
Stages of flour production:
- checking cereal raw materials for quality;
- if necessary, the grain is dried, after which it is cleared of any debris and unnecessary impurities;
- wheat is moistened in 3 stages and then passed through millstones;
- the resulting flour is passed through a special production sieve. There the finished product is sorted by size.
The smallest particles belong to the highest grade, larger particles belong to the 1st grade, and the 2nd grade is flour obtained from a material that is close in structure to the grain shell of wheat.
Pasta
Pasta comes in different shapes and densities, but many of their varieties are made from wheat flour. Moreover, only raw materials obtained from durum cereals are suitable for their production.
Alcohol
Wheat alcohol is highly valued in the alcohol industry. High-quality products are made from it, but the scope of its applications does not end there. Wheat alcohol is also widely used in perfumery and the pharmaceutical industry. It is also added to household chemicals.
To obtain alcohol, the grain is first carefully sorted, cleaned and boiled. Heat treatment makes it possible to release starch, which is used in further stages of production.When the prepared mass becomes homogeneous, it is saccharified and then subjected to fermentation and distillation. The finished alcohol is purified and sorted into containers.
Wheat is a valuable vegetable raw material from which cereals, pasta, and many other products are made. The culture brings invaluable benefits to the body due to its rich composition. To preserve all the valuable substances, the product must be prepared correctly, taking into account the characteristics of the selected variety of wheat cereal.
