By Lucy Corkhill
26th June 2013
Millet is hydrating for the colon and will help with cases of constipation. It is the most alkaline of all the grains and is useful for cases of acidity in the body. Considered calming for the mind, it is a source of serotonin, and can be useful in cases of migraine and heart problems because of its high magnesium levels. It is also a good source of iron and phosphorus and has been found to be helpful in cases of asthma.
It took me a while to get the hang of millet porridge until an Indian friend told me to toast the millet flakes before cooking them. This made a huge difference to the gloopy, sticky porridge I was producing, and now it has become a family favourite. We eat a lot of quinoa porridge as well, and the two grains can be mixed and matched. Toast the millet in coconut oil or ghee. Millet and quinoa flakes can easily be purchased in health food shops. Like most of our family recipes, we don’t tend to measure things but just make it up as we go along, so I borrowed some of the measurements from online recipes. I reckon the best bet is to have a go at making it to your own tastes in terms of consistency etc.
Ingredients:
150g millet flakes
1ltr water
Handful of raisins
1tsp ghee or coconut oil
1 large apple
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
Sprinkling of Himalayan crystal salt (optional)
How to make the porridge:
1. Wash, peel and core apples then cut into small chunks.
2. Place in a pan with the grated ginger root, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins and a splash of water and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes until just beginning to soften. Remove from the heat.
3. In a separate pan, add ghee or coconut oil and melt. Then add the millet flakes and gently toast for a few minutes.
4. Add the apple mixture and the water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt if desired.
5. Serve and enjoy!
