{"id":56732,"date":"2016-07-11T22:00:01","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T20:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/gruenkern-pilaw-mit-spinat-und-kichererbsen\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T22:01:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T20:01:25","slug":"gruenkern-pilaf-with-spinach-chickpeas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/en\/gruenkern-pilaf-with-spinach-chickpeas\/","title":{"rendered":"Gr\u00fcnkern Pilaf with Spinach & Chickpeas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gr\u00fcnkern pilaf makes for the perfect whole grain side dish \u2013 one that won\u2019t bore you to death! I have seriously fallen in love with this grain. It’s damn tasty! And if you are not German, some of you may already be asking what is Gr\u00fcnkern? Gr\u00fcnkern is spelt that\u2019s that been harvested while still young and green, and translated it literally means \u201cgreen grain\u201d. Originally, it was picked so young as to avoid heavy rain from destroying the crop. Then it was roasted and dried. Through this process farmers discovered how wonderfully delicious this early harvested grain could be. It has a fantastic nutty sweetness and smoked flavor, plus it trumps rice on nutritional value \u2013 a 100 g serving has 12 grams protein, 2.7 grams fatty acids, 9 grams fiber plus a whole host of essential minerals. This is what it looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Gr\u00fcnkern<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Gr\u00fcnkern Pilaf can also be made with Freekeh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since Gr\u00fcnkern is produced in Southern Germany, the closest thing to it elsewhere would be the middle eastern grain freekeh (or frikeh). It\u2019s been a staple in Middle Eastern diets for centuries and has recently made its way to popularity in other areas of the world. It also a smoked young green grain, but rather than produced from spelt, it\u2019s made from durum wheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was first introduced to Gr\u00fcnkern as a simple replacement for whole grain rice. Plain, boiled, served on the side. But really it is so much more than just a simple filler. Although it is delicious on its own, it has so much more potential \u2013 potential for greatness. Which is why I decided to create this rich and tasty Gr\u00fcnkern pilaf.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Gr\u00fcnkern<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This recipe for Gr\u00fcnkern pilaf is a terrific accompaniment to roast lamb or chicken. I really love it with lamb merguez sausages. Although I don\u2019t often eat meat, I am a real fan of this gutsy sausage and its terrific spicy mixture of paprika, cumin, chili, pepper and harissa, plus sumac, fennel and garlic \u2013 depending on the butchers own recipe. Just make sure to ask whether your butcher whether they make theirs from 100% lamb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you love this recipe, you might also like these Gr\u00fcnkern recipes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n