Grains & Pulses

Grains & Pulses

The humble giants of the pantry. The Grains & Pulses category provides the deeply nourishing, earthy foundations upon which countless global cuisines are built. From the creamy, starchy yield of a slow-stirred risotto rice to the nutty bite of ancient spelt, and the robust, satisfying texture of gently simmered lentils and chickpeas, these staples offer unparalleled versatility. Whether they are eagerly absorbing vibrant, heavily spiced broths, adding heft to fresh seasonal salads, or acting as the grounding base for a hearty braise, they are the steadfast backbone of a well-stocked kitchen.

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Exploring the Grains & Pulses Pantry

This category is where culinary endurance meets quiet elegance. Grains and pulses are the ultimate absorbers of flavour, patiently taking on the characteristics of the stocks, aromatics, and spices they are cooked with to become something entirely transformed.

  • The Essential Rices: Understanding the grain is crucial. Long-grain varieties like basmati and jasmine provide a fragrant, fluffy separation perfect for curries and pilafs, while short, starchy grains like arborio and carnaroli are the engines behind luxuriously creamy, emulsified dishes.
  • Ancient & Textured Grains: Ingredients like quinoa, bulgur wheat, farro, and pearl barley bring a brilliant textural chew and a deep, nutty profile to the plate. They are fantastic culinary sponges, perfect for tossing warm into sharp vinaigrettes so they drink up the dressing from the inside out.
  • The Mighty Pulses: Dried beans, chickpeas, and lentils are nutritional powerhouses that hold their own as the star of the plate. Whether simmered down into a velvety purée, spiced heavily for a rustic stew, or braised until tender to accompany roasted meats, they provide incredible structure and satisfying richness.

A Chef's Guide to Storage & Prep

While they are famously long-lasting, getting the absolute best out of your grains and pulses comes down to a few essential preparation habits:

  • The Golden Rule of Rinsing: Always rinse your rice and grains under cold running water before cooking. This crucial step washes away the excess surface starch that causes grains to clump together, ensuring a clean, perfectly separated, and fluffy finish.
  • Patience and Soaking: Dried pulses, particularly larger beans and chickpeas, require an overnight soak in plenty of cold water. This not only significantly reduces the cooking time but also ensures they cook evenly right through to the centre, preventing a chalky, undercooked bite.
  • Toasting for Depth: Before boiling, take a moment to lightly toast your grains in a dry pan, or sauté them briefly in a little olive oil or butter along with your base aromatics. This process, known as tostatura in risotto making, seals the grain and enhances its inherent nutty flavours before the liquid is introduced.

Explore Other Categories

Bakery Baking Essentials Brassicas Bulbs & Alliums Butcher's Meat Charcuterie & Cured Meats Condiments Dairy & Eggs Dried Fruits Dried Fungi Elemental Ingredients Fats & Oils Fish & Seafood Flours & Starches Foraged & Wild Fresh Baking Fresh Fruits Fresh Herbs Grains & Pulses Nightshades Nuts & Seeds Pasta & Noodles Pickles & Ferments Root Vegetables Spices Sugars Tinned & Jarred Vine Vegetables Wines & Spirits

A-Z Index

A +
Allspice Berries Almonds (Flakes) Apples
B +
Baking Powder Bay Leaves Beef Chuck Beef Mince Beef Short Rib Beef Tenderloin Beef Topside Beetroots Black Pepper Black Peppercorns Blackcurrant Jam Bramley Apples Brown Onion
C +
Candied Orange Peel Caraway Seeds Carrots Caster Sugar Celeriac Chanterelle Mushrooms Chicken Breasts Chicken Thighs Chopped Tomatoes (Tin) Cinnamon (Ground) Cinnamon Stick Clarified Butter Cloves Cocoa Powder Conchiglie Pasta Cornflour Crayfish Tails (cooked and peeled) Cucumber Curd Cheese (Twaróg) Curry Powder
D +
Dark Chocolate (70%) Dark Rye Flour Dijon Mustard Double Cream Dried Forest Mushrooms Dried Marjoram Dried White Beans Duck (whole)
E +
Eggs Emmental Cheese
F +
Fine Breadcrumbs Fine Egg Noodles Flat-leaf Parsley Floury Potatoes Fresh Basil Fresh Chives Fresh Dill Fresh Dill Crowns Fresh Lovage Fresh Sorrel Fresh Yeast Fusilli Pasta
G +
Garlic Bulb Garlic cloves Ginger (Ground) Grated horseradish
H +
Honey Horseradish Root
I +
Ice Cold Water Icing Sugar
J +
Juniper Berries
K +
Kajmak (Dulce de Leche) Kaszanka (Polish black pudding) Kefir
L +
Lard Leek Lemon Lemon Juice Ligol Apples Łazanki (Quadretti) pasta
M +
Marinated Forest Mushrooms Mayonnaise Milk Mustard Seeds
N +
New Potatoes
O +
Oak, Cherry, or Grape Leaves Ogórek Kiszony (Sour Brined Cucumber) Olive Oil Orange Zest Oranges
P +
Parsley Root Pearl Barley Pears Peas (Tin) Plain Flour Polish Smoked Sausage Poppy Seeds Pork Belly Pork Loin (boneless) Pork Mince Pork Neck Pork Ribs Pork Ribs (Smoked) Pork Shoulder Potato Starch Prunes (Pitted) Pumpkin
R +
Radishes Raisins Rapeseed Oil Red Bell Peppers Red Kidney Beans (Tin) Red Wine (Dry) Ridge / Ground Cucumbers Rustic Bread Rye Bread
S +
Salt Sauerkraut (Kapusta Kiszona) Savoy Cabbage Sea Salt Shallots Smoked Bacon Smoked Paprika Sour Cream Sparkling Water Spring Onions Stale White Bread Strawberries Strong Wheat Flour (Bread Flour) Sweet Paprika (Noble Sweet) Sweetcorn (Tin) Szara Reneta (Grey Reinette)
T +
Tomato Passata Tomato Puree Tomatoes (Vine-Ripened) Turkey Neck
U +
Unsalted Butter
V +
Vanilla Extract Vanilla Pods Veal Loin Vegetable Oil Vodka
W +
Walnuts (halves) Water Waxy Potatoes White Cabbage White Pepper White Rice (short-grain) White Sausage (Raw) White Wine (Dry) White Wine Vinegar Whole Chicken Wild Blueberries
Y +
Young White Cabbage Young beets with greens (untrimmed)
Z +
Zakwas Pszenny (Sour Wheat Starter) Zakwas z Buraków (Fermented Beetroot Juice / Beet Kvass) Zakwas Żytni (Rye Starter) Zander Fillets