From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Also buckwheat groats. 1. toasted and crushed hulled buckwheat seeds that have a nutty texture and taste. Available in fine to coarse grinds, kasha is quick to cook. Only buckwheat groats are called kasha in North America, but in Europe and Russia the term is also used for other types of groats, as well. 2. a name given to various dishes, many Polish or Russian, that contain kasha. These include porridge and pudding (often sweet and containing dried fruit, nuts and spices), pilaf, soup and stew. Kasha is also mixed with chopped meat and vegetables, then stuffed into cabbage or peppers and roasted.
