We've all heard of ? Five grains and miscellaneous grains? This expression, so that miscellaneous grains is actually a collective name for all food crops other than the five grains. It is mainly characterized by a certain regional, small planting area, low yield, rich in nutrition. In ancient times, there are two main categories of grains: the first is rice, millet, millet, wheat, beans; the other refers to hemp, millet, millet, wheat, beans. But now it seems that the five grains have evolved into the main grain, and the rest belong to the miscellaneous grain.
Of course, different regions have different definitions of miscellaneous grains, depending on the main source of food in that place. Generally speaking, the staple grains are rice, wheat and corn, while in some places the potato is the main food, although it is now said that corn has been classified as a feed crop, but the total output of corn is still higher than that of wheat, and is the main source of food in the northern region. To judge by this, there are several types of grains:
1. Sweet potato (sweet potato): sweet potato used to be a staple food, but many people do not want to eat, but also people with gastric problems can not digest or produce gastric acid, so the area of planting is declining year by year, planting the main processing of baked sweet potatoes, starch, brewing and other uses. In the event of a natural disaster, sweet potatoes are widely planted because of their high yield potential.
2. Soybeans: Soybeans, also known as soybeans, used to be a staple crop, but now because of the impact of imported soybeans, the area has been declining year by year. Farmers grow soybeans mainly as grinding tofu, rising bean sprouts, making tempeh and soybean paste, but also in some places as hairy bean production.
3. Barley: Once one of the five grains, it was gradually replaced by wheat. The main variants are barley and Tibetan barley, common two-pronged barley and six-pronged barley, of which two-pronged barley is mainly used for brewing beer, also known as beer barley. Barley is widely adapted and harvested earlier than wheat, but yields are low, and it is cultivated in localized areas with special characteristics. Barley is mainly used for food, feeding, brewing and medicinal purposes.
4. Sorghum: Sorghum used to be a major grain crop as well, with a tall plant and high yield, but poor palatability and wide adaptability, mainly used as fodder and brewing raw materials, with the main variant being sweet sorghum, which can be used for brewing from the stalks and fruits, with a unique flavor.
5. Grain: wide range of adaptation, mainly cultivated in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River and alpine mountains. It is drought-resistant and likes high temperature, with stable yield. The fruit is very small, golden yellow, which is the millet we often see.
6. Millet: suitable for planting in the north, yellowish seeds, known as yellow rice, also known as yellow millet, for the yellow small round particles, particles a little larger than millet. Divided into millet and glutinous millet, you can make pastries, you can also make wine.
7. Millet: drought-resistant, yellowish seeds, can be eaten to make yellow cake, but also can be used to make wine, also known as "wine rice".
8. Buckwheat: divided into sweet buckwheat and buckwheat. Short sunshine crops, higher yields, buckwheat can be made noodles, noodles, noodles and other food, can also be made into tea.
9. Oats: is a common weed in wheat fields, since ancient times have been cultivated. Oats are hardy and drought-resistant, with a wide range of adaptability, as long as the place where wheat can be planted can be planted, cultivation is also very simple, self-sowing reproduction can be. Wide range of uses, the common oatmeal is made of oats.
In addition, the legume family of mung beans, pinto beans, red pinto beans, broad beans, kidney beans, peas, cowpeas, lentils , black beans, etc., are all mixed grains, there are also many places to grow mixed grains , the number of up to hundreds of species.