Eating a bowl of warm millet porridge in the cold winter can immediately comfort the stomach. A delicious bowl of millet porridge is dense and sticky, mixed with thick millet oil. To make it this way, you must master the following tips.
Tips for preparing millet porridge
When buying millet, you might think that the more yellow the better. However, if the millet is golden yellow, it may be that the seller has actually added turmeric to make the color brighter. When choosing millet, be sure to choose fresh whole grain millet. The color of fresh millet is light yellow. The grains look shiny and have a strong fragrance. If you try a grain, it should have a slightly sweet taste.
After washing the millet with water, soak it for 30 minutes. Do not rub the grains with your hands, because the nutrients on the surface will be lost and the cooked porridge will not be fragrant.
To make a thick and delicious millet porridge, it is best to cook millet in earthenware. Put 9 3/4 cups (2300 ml) of water in the earthenware, cover with a lid, and boil the water on high heat. Then pour about 1 cup (150 grams) of millet into the pot. Stir quickly with a spoon to prevent the millet from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Do not put the millet directly into the pot with cold water.
After boiling the millet on high heat, skim off the foam floating on the surface. Stir in one direction for 10 minutes to cook the millet evenly. This way it won’t stick to the pot and it will release millet oil, which will make the porridge thick and sticky.
Turn the heat to low, continue to use a spoon to stir in one direction, cover the pot, simmer slowly for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat. Take a small handful of goji berries and add them to the pot, or you can leave them out if you don’t have any.
After the porridge is cooked, keep it covered for 10 minutes. Once the temperature drops, the surface of the millet porridge will condense into a thick layer of millet oil, and the porridge will become stickier.
Nutritional value and health benefits
Millet is rich in protein, vitamins, and trace elements such as phosphorus, iron, manganese, calcium, and zinc. It contains more vitamin B1 and minerals than rice, and 1 cup of millet has 0.18mg of carotene.
Millet and mung bean porridge to detoxify the body and beautify the skin
Millet and mung bean porridge can beautify the skin, replenish qi and blood, nourish the stomach, and reduce swelling. According to traditional Chinese medicine, millet nourishes the body’s yin and blood which can help improve the skin’s appearance by reducing wrinkles and dark spots.
Millet and mung bean porridge can also help eliminate toxins. It helps alleviate oily skin and dandruff issues as well. Millet and mung beans are low in calories, and thus can be included in the diets of those who want to lose weight.
How to cook millet and mung bean porridge
Prepare 3/4 cup (120 grams) of millet, 2 tbsp (30 grams) of mung beans, and 6 1/4 cups (1500 ml) of water. Wash the millet and mung beans, put them in an electric rice cooker with water, and press the switch to start cooking. Keep the lid on for a while after it’s done cooking and it will be ready to serve.
Millet to stimulate appetite in those under stress
Due to pressure from work, many people feel tired and stressed. Some lose their appetite or suffer from bloating and stomach pain. A warm bowl of millet porridge can stimulate the appetite, nourish the stomach, and facilitate digestion. It also has a delicious taste that is refreshing.
Millet porridge oil to reduce fatigue
People constantly engaged in mental tasks for an extended period can experience dizziness, insomnia, vivid dreams, a decline in memory, and a lack of concentration. And added stress can cause bloating and loss of appetite. Millet porridge oil supplies nutrients to the kidneys and brain and eliminates fatigue.
Millet porridge to induce sleep
Millet porridge can help people deal with insomnia, and adding one ingredient to the porridge will help you fall asleep quicker.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that an upset stomach makes one feel restless. The book Yellow Emperor’s Classic on Internal Medicine contains a recipe for Pinellia ternata (crow-dipper plant) and broomcorn millet porridge. You can substitute broomcorn millet with regular millet and see if it will soothe the stomach and help you fall asleep. Those who suffer from insomnia or lack of sleep can add millet porridge to their diets.
Translated by Elaine
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