How to cook millet

Millet porridge is recommended to be included in the diet. Why? Because it is nutritious and tasty. Let's learn how to cook millet porridge in various ways.

Facts about millet

Millet is not wheat cereal; it is made from the seeds of millet, which are cleaned from the outer shell. The light yellow small balls are the ready millet. It is packed and sent to stores for sale.

What is millet rich in? Each grain carries energy - there are 337 kcal in 100 grams of the dry product. It has a lot of carbohydrates (66.5 grams), a little fat (3.3 g), and 11.5 grams of protein.

One serving of millet porridge can provide the body with macroelements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and silicon, of which there is the most in the product (100 grams of grain contains 2.5 times the daily norm of silicon).

Don't forget about vitamins; millet contains many: B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B12, as well as PP. Other vitamins are present in small amounts.

We won't list all the substances contained in millet, as there are a huge number of them. It is worth noting that the grain fights excess weight. The substances contained in the grain prevent fats from being absorbed.

How to choose millet in a store

When choosing grains, pay attention to taste and smell, the appearance of the seeds and the packaging. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money on well-known brands, as sometimes a budget option is just as good in quality. If the grain meets all the criteria described below, you can confidently make a purchase.

Taste and smell

This is the main criterion for the buyer's choice. Fresh millet should not smell of dampness, mold, fungi, or any chemicals (for example, enamel). The presence of foreign odors indicates a violation of storage rules. Porridge made from millet should not be very bitter - this is a sign that the shelf life of the grain has expired.

Packaging

Millet is usually sold in polyethylene bags, which indicate all information about the product (production address, cooking method, and shelf life). A dense package protects the grain from moisture penetration, keeping it dry.

Before buying, carefully inspect the bag - look for holes, cuts, and various damages. Through the transparent packaging, you can see in what condition the grain is - there should be no foreign particles, husks from millet, or brown grains. If the kernels are of the same color and size, it is a sign of high product quality.

Before making a purchase, pay attention to the expiration date. Usually, the grain retains its taste qualities for 9 months.

Appearance of the grain

How to cook crumbly millet

Millet porridge with water is a low-calorie food product. This dish can be included in a dietary diet. Crumbly millet porridge is often served as a side dish with fried fish, meat, or poultry.

Ingredients:

• millet - 200 ml;
• drinking water - 550 ml;
• salt - to taste;
• butter - 50 g.

The porridge cooking process. Step-by-step instructions:

1. Measure the proportions of liquid and grain. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a measuring cup that has a volume scale marked on it.
2. Prepare water for millet porridge. For cooking, it is preferable to use purified water (from a filter) or spring water.
3. Prepare the millet for cooking. Pour water into the grain in a bowl and stir well. Then remove the floating debris and plant residues - drain the water. Rinse the millet several more times until the liquid is clear. The last water should be hot - the bitterness will leave the grain during scalding.
4. In a saucepan with a thick bottom, pour in the clean grain and add hot water (temperature +100 degrees). Start the cooking process on the stove.
5. After adding boiling water, wait for it to boil again, then lower the heat so that the porridge cooks gradually and does not burn to the bottom.
6. Place a piece of butter in the saucepan with the boiling porridge. Salt a little and stir. Add the remaining salt just before the cooking is finished; if you do it earlier, an unpleasant incident may occur - the porridge will become oversalted.
7. Cook the millet porridge over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the boiling water equals the grain. In the first stage, cook the porridge with an open lid; otherwise, the foam from active boiling may spill onto the stove.
8. After the specified time, reduce the heat to the minimum. Cook the porridge under a closed lid for 10 minutes. Do not stir the grains; otherwise, they will lose their shape. The millet should swell under the influence of steam.
9. Turn off the burner and leave the dish on the stove for 10 minutes. To prevent the porridge from cooling too quickly, wrap the saucepan in a thick towel.
10. Put a piece of butter in each bowl, then pour the millet porridge on top. Stir.
11. Serve the cooked millet on the table. Eat the dish with wooden spoons. Enjoy your meal.

How to cook millet porridge in a slow cooker

Modern kitchen appliances can significantly ease the life of hostesses. One of the most necessary devices in the kitchen is a slow cooker. In it, millet porridge cooks quickly and easily, and what a tasty and aromatic dish is made from ordinary products, thanks to this helper. To cook porridge, you won't have to stand by the stove, as the slow cooker will do all the work for you.

Ingredients for the porridge:

• cleaned millet - 1 cup;
• drinking water - 2 cups;
• cow's milk - 2 cups;
• sugar - 1 tablespoon;
• table salt - 1 pinch;
• butter - 20 grams.

The process of cooking porridge in a slow cooker:

1. Before adding to the slow cooker bowl, you need to clean the grain from debris and thoroughly rinse it in water. Change the water several times until it is completely clear. For the last rinse, use hot water.
2. Measure the ingredients for the porridge with a glass - place everything in the slow cooker bowl. To prevent the products from sticking to the cookware during cooking, it is recommended to grease the bowl with butter before adding the ingredients.
3. Place the bowl in the appliance, latch the lid, and activate the "Milk Porridge"/"Grains" function. If the time does not set automatically, adjust it manually - set it to 50 minutes.
4. No actions will be required from you. After the specified time, the dish will be ready.
5. Unplug the slow cooker, but do not open the lid for another 10-15 minutes. It will take this time for the porridge to steam.
6. Fill the bowls with porridge, add a piece of butter (if you like rich dishes), and you can call your loved ones to the table. According to this recipe, the porridge will turn out delicious, hearty, appetizing, with a slight bitterness and just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy your meal.

How to cook millet with pumpkin in milk

Milk millet porridge with pumpkin is a healthy dish for the whole family that should be made at least sometimes. So.

Ingredients:

• millet - 200 grams.
• drinking water - 50 ml.
• milk (3.2% fat) - 500 ml.
• pumpkin pulp - 400 grams.
• sugar - 2 tablespoons.
• butter - 50 grams.
• salt - 3/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the millet. Thoroughly clean it from plant debris and rinse in several waters until you achieve transparency. Be sure to pour boiling water over the millet and drain the water.
2. Peel the whole pumpkin and when you cut it in half, remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into cubes of the same size, with a thickness not exceeding 1 cm.
3. Pour water into the pot. The liquid should cover the bottom of the dish. If 50 ml of water is not enough, you can add a little more liquid.
4. Turn on the stove and set the power of the burner to medium.
5. Keep the pot with water on the stove and wait for it to start boiling. Then pour in half of the milk and wait for it to boil again.
6. Add the pumpkin to the boiling milk and reduce the heat to the minimum. Let the pumpkin simmer in the milk for 5-10 minutes.
7. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot - milk, millet, sugar, and salt. Slightly cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape.
8. Cook the pumpkin porridge on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. It's not necessary to constantly open the lid and stir the dish. After all, in a thick-walled pot, the heating is slow - the grains do not burn, they remain crumbly.
9. Remove the porridge from the heat and mix it with butter. Leave it covered for a couple of dozen minutes - the grains will absorb moisture and the undercooked grains will swell. The taste of the porridge will improve significantly.
10. Serve the finished porridge in a plate and before serving sprinkle with liquid honey. Sweet lovers can add a little more sugar to the porridge.

Now you know how to cook millet. We believe that everyone can find a recipe for preparing millet porridge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As for how to choose quality grains, we covered that at the very beginning of the article.