Buckwheat

Buckwheat is technically not a grain because it is the seed not of a grass but of a plant with branched stems and broad, arrow-shaped leaves. Whole buckwheat is often ground into a dark, strong-tasting flour, while buckwheat endosperm alone is ground into a lighter-colored flour with a somewhat milder taste. When the grains are crushed into small pieces, they are called buckwheat groats and can be cooked like rice.