Hands up for wholegrains - Telegraph I am an out and proud wholegrain lover and clearly not the only one. Now that people have become competent cookers of quinoa I'm getting asked more and more what to do with other grains. So here's the low-down... Freekeh (pronounced free-kah) is roasted green wheat - it's harvested, sun-dried and set on fire to burn away the straw and chaff - and the grains have a strong whiff of straw. That might make them sound more suitable for a horse's nosebag than your supper, but the sultry smokiness is brilliant with North African and Middle Eastern flavours. Tahini, cumin, pickled lemons, coriander... Pair them with freekeh and you'll find yourself imagining starry desert nights as you cook. You do have to like a bit of chewiness. The grains (you can buy them whole or "broken") plump and soften slightly but keep their bite. Kamut, an ancient wheat variety originally known as khorasan, is still a bit under the radar here, though it's popular in America. It's as bland as freekeh is assertive, but don't let that put you off. You do need to think ahead with kamut as it requires overnight soaking and takes an hour to cook. But the big, honey-coloured grains are kind of buttery and feel good in your mouth. Season them generously and use strong flavours if you're dressing them. TRY THIS North African mackerel with kamut and preserved lemons recipe Farro is a small, pale-brown grain that is best described as "nutty" and is usually sold semi-pearled (labelled semi-perlato), as some of the bran has been removed. It softens on the outside but stays firm in the centre. TRY THIS Diana Henry's crazy salad recipe What is so great about this trio? As with many wholegrains they're robust and cook-friendly. They don't become soggy or sticky, unlike badly cooked white rice. Once drained, they can sit in the fridge waiting to be reheated or dressed with vinaigrette; and they are brilliant both hot and cold (all make superb salad bases). What's coming next on the wholegrain catwalk? Health-savvy Americans have been eating wholegrain wheat and rye for some time (they're referred to there as "berries," which makes them seem cute and approachable) and I am starting to love these too. As with kamut, they need overnight soaking and about an hour's cooking. I used to have to go on a Tube journey across London to get my stash of grains, but they're now available online and, increasingly, in health-food shops. Am I eating them simply because they're healthy and cool? Nope. I'm just always looking for something great to eat - and these fit the bill.