Millet groats. Millet: useful properties and methods of preparation

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Millet is one of the most ancient crops on the territory of the Eurasian continent. For the first time, cereals began to be cultivated in China more than 7 thousand years ago. Today, India is the largest producer of millet: the state accounts for 40% of the world's production. Despite the high nutritional value and potential benefits for the body, millet groats are not in great demand among the population. In the United States, this culture is considered exotic at all and is sold mainly only as bird food. Meanwhile, from such cereals you can cook a number of tasty and he althy dishes. Their recipes are presented in our article.

What kind of cereal is made from millet?

The owners of parrots and canaries know firsthand about this cereal crop. Millet makes up 40 to 70% of the daily diet of their pets. Externally, cereal grains are small brown seedsround shape. Millet is an annual plant, reaching a height of 1.5 meters. The bush consists of several stems resembling panicles. From one such inflorescence, you can collect up to a thousand seeds.

Not all people know what millet groats are made from. Meanwhile, this is the millet familiar to everyone since childhood. Perhaps there is no such person who would not try the “yellow” porridge from it. Only the brown grain is the grain itself, and the millet is the groats made from shelled millet, without the coarse outer brown shell.

Depending on the type of processing of cereals, there are three types of millet:

1. Draper. The cereal is a whole grain, freed from flower shells. The embryo and fruit membranes are preserved. Millet of this type is distinguished by a shiny surface on the outside with a characteristic bitterness inside. Yellow drapery with a white germ inside, which turns black over time, which indicates spoilage of cereals.
2. Sanded. Such millet is also called crushed. Flower shells and partially fruit and seed with an embryo have been completely removed from it. Polished millet cooks faster and is better absorbed by the body. It is recommended to cook crumbly cereals, soups, casseroles from it.
3. Crushed. This millet is obtained as a result of further grinding of polished cereals. It is used to make viscous porridges or meatballs.

All types of millet have a characteristic taste of bitterness, which is eliminated by long-term soaking of cereals in cold water or preliminary scalding with boiling water.

Chemical composition andnutritional value of millet

So, millet is obtained from millet. The husk of the latter is used to feed birds and livestock. It is known that millet has a rich chemical composition and high nutritional value. 100 g of cereal contains 11.5 g of protein. This is even more than rice. In addition, millet contains 3.3 g of fat and 66.5 g of carbohydrates. Calorie content of 100 g of cereal is 342 kcal.

Millet contains many vitamins necessary for the body: A, group B, H, K, E, PP. It contains macroelements (potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus and chlorine) and microelements (iron, cob alt, copper, iodine, selenium and zinc). Millet also contains a small amount of polyunsaturated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

From 100 g of cereals, 3.6 g is coarse dietary fiber. When ingested, fiber helps to cleanse and remove toxins from the body.

Useful properties of millet groats

All cereals and cereals prepared from them can be safely called beneficial to the body. And millet groats are no exception. The healing properties of this nutritious and he althy food became known in ancient times. Even the medieval scientist Avicenna mentioned the diuretic effect of millet. The cereal is widely used in folk medicine in the treatment of pancreatitis, cystitis, liver disease, and diabetes.

What else is known about millet? Why is cereal useful?

1. Millet is gluten-free. This allows you to include dishes from polishedcereals in the diet of those people who suffer from intolerance to vegetable protein gluten.
2. It has been proven that the unique chemical composition of millet contributes to the speedy restoration of intestinal microflora after taking antibiotics.
3. The cereal contains substances that prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the body. That is why millet is recommended to be included in weight loss diets.
4. The composition of cereals includes a large amount of B vitamins, which are responsible for the stable functioning of the nervous system. At the same time, potassium helps to strengthen the heart muscle, and iron improves blood composition and increases hemoglobin.

Contraindications to eating millet dishes are:

• individual intolerance;
• prone to constipation;
• gastritis with low acidity.

The use of cereals in the household and cooking

Millet is widely used not only in folk medicine and as food for birds and livestock, but also in cooking. The most famous dish from this cereal is porridge cooked in water or milk. And people who adhere to the principles of a he althy diet probably know many other recipes for millet dishes. From cereals, you can cook soup, and delicious meatballs, and a casserole. And from crushed grain and flour - pies, pancakes and other dishes. But you only need to know one important secret: how to cook millet, since it has a specific bitter taste. To neutralize it, gritsyou need to pre-soak in cold water for several hours, and just before cooking, pour boiling water over it.

In the household, millet is widely used as livestock feed. Moreover, absolutely everything is used: the husk, the straw, and the whole grain. Birds eat only seeds. The substances contained in them help to strengthen the eggshell. But why did our grandmothers in the village feed their chickens with millet porridge boiled in water, and not with dry grain? Is it possible to do so? This issue should be de alt with in detail.

How to feed millet to birds?

Many people are not indifferent to the fate of sparrows and titmouse wintering in the city. They feed them with sunflower seeds and cereals, including peeled millet. That's just about whether it is possible to feed the birds with raw millet, no one thinks. In fact, it is strictly forbidden to do so. Here's why.

All the benefits of millet for birds are not in the refined grain, but directly in the millet itself, covered with a flower shell. It is this product that saturates their body with vitamins and vital elements. When eating millet, birds gain weight, their plumage improves, and the functioning of all internal systems normalizes. Well, most of all vitamins and minerals are contained in a rough brown shell. That is why birds in the cold season should be fed not with yellow millet groats, but with unpeeled seeds.

Birds should not be fed millet for two reasons:

1. Afterexfoliation of the outer shell, the composition of the grain becomes poor compared to the feedstock.
2. In the cereal obtained after processing, under the influence of light and air, fatty acids are oxidized. That is why millet is bitter if it is not soaked in water before heat treatment. Oxidized cereals have a negative effect on the bird's digestive tract, the functioning of the heart, nervous system, and general well-being.

But still, you can feed the bird with millet if you pre-process it and make it safe for birds. To do this, the required amount of cereal should be poured into a deep bowl, pour the cereal with boiling water and leave it in this form until it cools completely. During this time, the millet will steam well and will be suitable for feeding birds.

How to cook millet?

The most famous dish made from peeled millet is porridge. But not everyone knows how to cook millet correctly so that the porridge turns out to be crumbly and not viscous. But such a dish can be an excellent side dish for meat, poultry or fish. To cook millet correctly and get the result as in the photo, you will need the following ingredients:

• groats - 180 g;
• water - 550 ml;
• butter - 50 g;
• s alt - 1 tsp

When cooking in the post, butter can be replaced with vegetable oil. If you plan to cook sweet porridge, the amount of s alt should be reduced, but add sugar to taste.

You can cook millet for a side dish as followsprescription:

1. Pour the cereal into a bowl and pour the grain with cold water. Leave for at least 2 hours. After the specified time, drain the dirty water, and pour boiling water over the millet. This will get rid of the rancid taste.
2. Put the soaked cereal into a saucepan. Pour hot water over millet. Add s alt, half the butter and mix.
3. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil.
4. Without closing the lid, continue to cook the porridge over medium heat for another 8 minutes, until the water is almost completely absorbed into the cereal.
5. Reduce the fire to a minimum. Cover the saucepan with a lid. Cook the porridge for another 10 minutes without removing the lid or stirring the porridge.
6. Let the finished dish brew for 15 minutes. You can additionally wrap the pot with porridge.
7. When serving, pour over the porridge with melted butter.

Millet porridge in a slow cooker with milk and pumpkin

The following dish is one of the best options for a delicious and he althy breakfast for the whole family. And the easiest way is to cook pumpkin porridge with millet in a slow cooker: you don’t need to worry about the milk running away or the cereal burning. To prepare the dish, you should prepare all the ingredients in advance according to the list:

• millet - 1 tbsp;
• water - 1 tbsp;
• milk - 2 tbsp;
• pumpkin - 500 g;
• sugar - 1 tbsp. l.;
• s alt - ¼ tsp;
• butter - 40g

A step-by-step recipe for pumpkin porridge with millet in a slow cooker is to do the followingaction:

1. Pour the grits into a fine sieve and rinse it well, first under running cold water, and then in hot.
2. Lubricate the bottom and sides of the multicooker bowl with a piece of butter.
3. Put the groats from the sieve into the bowl.
4. Pour millet with milk and water.
5. Pumpkin peel and seeds, and cut into small cubes or grate on a coarse grater. If the pieces are large, they will not have time to boil.
6. Add the pumpkin to the bowl along with sugar and s alt.
7. Select the “Milk porridge” or “Porridge” cooking mode.
8. Cook the dish for 30 minutes. There is no need to stir the cereal.
9. Millet turns out moderately boiled, fragrant and very tasty. When serving in porridge, it is recommended to add butter.

How to cook kulesh?

The next old millet dish is considered to be a camp or Cossack dish. During campaigns, it was cooked in a large cauldron right on the fire. Depending on the amount of water added, millet kulesh is a thick soup or viscous porridge. Traditionally, kulesh is cooked in pork fat with the addition of fried onions and potatoes. Despite the fact that porridge is considered camping, it turns out to be very tasty. The recipe for this dish includes the following steps:

1. Pour boiling water over millet (150 g) and leave for 15 minutes.
2. Cut lard (100 g) into small pieces and put it on the bottom of a cauldron or a thick-bottomed pan.
3. On medium heat, melt the fat from the lard until cracklings form.
4. Chop the onion with a knife andput it in a cauldron. Fry until golden brown.
5. Add scalded millet to the onion and lard, washing it well. Add 2 liters of hot water and boil the cereal for 10 minutes.
6. Potatoes (4 pcs.) Peel and cut into cubes. Send it to the cauldron to other ingredients. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes.
7. Add s alt, black pepper to taste. Remove the kulesh from the heat after 2 minutes.

Appetizing millet meatballs

The following recipe is just for those people who think they don't like yellow grits. Millet in meatballs is practically not felt, but it is thanks to it that a ruddy and appetizing crispy crust is formed on cutlets. The recipe is as follows:

1. Cook millet porridge from 1 cup of cereal and 500 ml of water. Remove the pot with the finished dish from the heat and cool.
2. Fry chopped onion and grated carrots in vegetable oil.
3. Add vegetable fry to the cooled millet porridge. Shuffle.
4. Beat the egg with a fork. Add it to the porridge.
5. Sift flour (2 tbsp.) and add to minced meat from cooked cereals. S alt and pepper to taste.
6. Spread breadcrumbs (1 tbsp) on a flat plate.
7. With wet hands, shape the meatballs into rounded shapes. Roll the blanks in breadcrumbs.
8. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Put the meatballs in it and fry them first on one side for 2 minutes, and then on the other. It is not necessary to cover the pan with a lid, then a golden color will form on the products.crust.
9. Serve meatballs as an independent dish or as a side dish for meat. Cutlets will turn out even tastier if, in addition to vegetable frying, add chopped greens of fresh dill or parsley to the minced meat.

Millet porridge casserole with cottage cheese

The next dish will appeal to both adults and children. It is based on millet groats and cottage cheese. The casserole is moderately sweet, tasty, with a delicious crust on top. If desired, you can add not only raisins, but also other dried fruits or nuts to it. Well, preparing cottage cheese and millet casserole is very simple:

1. Soak groats (200 g) in cold water for 4-6 hours. After the time has elapsed, rinse the millet until the water runs clear.
2. Put the grits into the pan. Pour hot water over millet (300 ml) and add a pinch of s alt.
3. After boiling, cook the porridge over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Pour the finished hot porridge into a deep bowl, add butter (20 g) to it and leave at room temperature until cool.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C, and grease the bottom and sides of a springform pan with oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
6. Raisins (50 g) pour boiling water for 15 minutes, then put it on a towel and dry.
7. Eggs (2 pcs.) Beat with sugar (4 tablespoons) and vanilla (10 g).
8. Add grated cottage cheese (300 g) to the egg mass. Stir and pour on top of the porridge.
9. Add raisins and mix well again. Put it in a mold, smooth it with a spoon and grease the surface with sour cream (3 tbsp.l.).
10. Cook the casserole in the oven for 1 hour. If the mold has a diameter of 24-26 cm, then the preparation of the dish will take less time, approximately 40 minutes.
11. At the very end of cooking, you can use the convection function or grill to brown the surface of the casserole.
12. Let the dish cool slightly in the pan, then transfer it to a flat plate.
13. Cut the casserole into portions and serve with sour cream or jam.