Mexican Millet

This recipe has been adapted from Veganomicon. And may I take this opportunity to say that it is such a great cookbook to experiment with! Ok, back to the recipe. Millet is super great for you, as it’s a great source of magnesium and iron! This recipe was my first experience with millet, and I must say, it was love at first bite! I served it with black bean tamales (from Texas Tamale Company) and roasted herb red potatoes. Other nice accompaniments would be Jo’s Favorite Potatoes and the Green Enchiladas. Naturally, topping everything with fresh cilantro and pico de gallo is perfectly acceptable. *FYI: Millet does not get soft and mushy like quinoa – it stays a bit crunchy. So if you sample it at the end of the 25 minutes (when all the liquid is absorbed) and you think, ‘oh this can’t be done because it’s still got a crunch’…it’s done. Don’t continue cooking it for several hours to no avail…that’s just how millet is. If you want something soft like quinoa, use quinoa. Does that cover it Mary?

Ingredients:

2 TBSP Canola or Veg oil
1 clove garlic, minced (or perhaps 3 cloves for extra garlicky goodness)
1 C millet
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 hot pepper (jalapeño, habanero, etc), minced
2 C vegetable broth
3 TBSP tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/3 C fresh tomato, about 1 medium size, freshly diced
2-4 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped (or just thrown in the whole damn bunch, but saving some for garnish)
1 lime, juiced

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a medium-sized, heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and hot pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Add millet, stir to coat, and saute for about 4-6 minutes. Pour in the broth and add the tomato paste, salt, cumin, and fresh diced tomato.
3. Bring mix to a boil, stir once and cover. Lower the heat to low and cook for approx 20-25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
4. Remove from heat and allow to sit, covered, for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and fluff with a fork.

Variations: If you want to give a New Mexican taste to the millet, add some green chiles. Of course, green chiles are not for the the faint of palate. They add a whole new dimension of heat that can be quite powerful for first-timers or those not adapted to spicy foods. Adjust to your own heat level, the more you add..the hotter it becomes – heat responsibly!

Happy Cooking!

About these ads