Cooking with Millet 101

Introduction

Back in January 2023, when I started this series on Cooking with Whole Grains 101, I thought I knew all the major whole grains and pseudograins that existed.

But then, as the year progressed, new ones came on the radar that I had never even heard of before such as fonio (a millet),  kaniwa (a relative a quinoa) and Job’s tears (a millet).

Recently, I even found out that chia seeds are considered pseudograins.  Really?!  Who knew?

So here we are in 2024, and I have at least 12 more whole grains and pseudograins to cover, making this series a two year endeavor.

This month’s grain is millet.

As it turns out, in regards to millet, I am also a little late to the party as 2023 was officially declared the International Year of Millets by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

What is Millet?

According to Wikipedia, millet refers to a varied number of small seeded-grasses also called “coarse grains“.

The term “millet” is the perfect example of lesser known whole grains.

There are millet varieties grown in most temperate and tropical climates around the world and some of the better known ones are: pearl millet, proso millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet and Job’s tears.

Sometimes, sorghum is considered a millet (“great millet”) though at other times, sorghum is treated as a separate entity – which is how we will treat it here.

Likewise, teff is considered a millet but thanks to its growing popularity and availability, we will cover it in a future post.

The tiny fonio seed and several of its relatives, black fonio, raishan and polish millet are included among millet grains. 

Since fonio was previously covered in this post, we will exclude it from the discussion here.

Origins of Millet

Millet grains are considered to be ancient grains.

The wild grass ancestors of foxtail millet, the oldest millet variety, are believed to have become domesticated about 10,000 years ago in what is today known as Northern China.

Typically, the difference between a wild and domestic variety of grain, is that the domestic variety does not drop its seed as easily – therefore allowing to harvest most of the grain.

Some varieties of millet can be harvested in as little as 55 days.

Thanks to its quick growing time, it is believed that millet grains allowed for semi nomadic tribes to slowly transition to agriculture.

Many millet varieties grow quickly in poorer soils with low rainfall – therefore contributing to local food security.

Did you know that during the Middle Ages, millet was grown in Europe for human consumption and was more common than wheat?

Likewise, prior to the 1960s green revolution, millet was a more important grain crop than rice in many parts of India.

Nowadays, millet grains are more commonly used for human consumption in developing countries.

In the West, for the past century, millet has been used primarily as birdseed and animal fodder.

parakeet feeding on proso millet, photo credit redsiskin @ flickr

In recent years, the rising popularity of gluten-free grains has helped bring millet to the attention of western consumers.

Proso Millet

While the lion’s share of millet is grown in India, the northern half of sub-Saharan Africa and China, there are some millet varieties grown in the United States as well.

Most of the millet grown in the United States for human consumption is proso millet.

Proso millet is the hulled millet I had access to and the one I used to test the different cooking methods in this post.

Keeping in mind, since all millet varieties are small grains, the preparation method for proso millet can usually be applied to the other millet varieties as well.

Millet Structure

Some millet varieties have a tighter inedible husk (outer protective layer) than others.

Proso millet, for example, has a shiny hull that needs to be removed prior to human consumption.

Consequently, proso millet is typically sold hulled.

One the plus side, the work is done for you by the processor but on the down side, its shelf life is reduced.

Hulled millet is considered a whole grain.

Dehulling Millet

If you grow your own millet, depending on the variety, you many need to remove the hull.

I could not find very reliable information on hulling millet.

For example, I tried following the steps in this link but I came up with milled flour and not hulled millet.

I also found a public domain invention by Allen Dong and Roger J. Edberg for hulling millet which consists of modifying a wet mill using a rubber disk.

I have not tried this invention but would love to hear from anyone who has.

Millet Nutritional Properties

All millet varieties are gluten-free.

Like most grains, most millet varieties are considered a good source of incomplete protein because they typically are lower in lysine.

Because they are whole grains, most millet varieties are lower on the glycemic index and therefore better for diabetics.

Millet varieties are high in B vitamins including niacin and they contain important minerals such as copper, magnesium, iron and selenium.

A word of caution – some varieties of millet (notably pearl millet) have been found to impact thyroid function – therefore, as with all things, it is best to consume millet in moderation, as part of a balanced diet.

Common Millet Forms

Whole hulled millet is the most common form of millet you are likely to find and it is considered a whole grain.

You can also find or make at home cracked millet and millet flour.

Puffed millet is a popular cereal option for people with gluten free preferences.

Overview of Culinary Uses of Millet

Millet has be used in a multitude of ways in different parts of the world.

Below are some common culinary uses of millet.

Sprouted Millet

For sprouting, it is best to use unhulled millet as hulled millet has a very low germination rate.

You will want to make sure you have clean seeds specifically for sprouting or from a reputable source such as Trueleaf Market (an affiliate vendor) because birdseed is typically not tested for contaminants.

To sprout millet:

1. Soak unhulled millet overnight in room temperature water.
2. Rinse off water.
3. Place millet seeds in wire mesh covered with cloth or in mason jar with a mesh cover set at 45 degree angle.
4. Rinse twice a day.
5. Sprouts should appear within a couple of days.

Millet Rejuvelac

The inedible millet hull does not come off easily with sprouting and therefore, for human consumption, sprouted millet is best used to make gluten-free Rejuvelac as detailed in this post.

Malted Millet

Some people will also make beer using sprouted and malted millet, as is detailed in this post.

Millet Microgreens

If you are interested in growing millet microgreens:

1. Sprout millet in wire mesh covered with cloth as instructed above.
2. After sprouts are about an inch high, remove cloth and keep in indirect light.
3. Microgreens can be snipped off with scissors after they reach a couple of inches – within about a week.
4. Add microgreens to salads or sandwiches.

Well dried microgreens can be kept refrigerated for a couple of days.

Note: When growing microgreens, many people prefer to use a growing medium to provide additional nutrition for the microgreens.

Toasted Millet

Millet is very mild tasting – toasting it enhances its nuttiness.

Millet can be toasted in a dry skillet over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Either add water immediately, if boiling,or quickly remove from pan if baking.

Popped Millet

It is said to be possible to pop millet just like popcorn.

However, popping millet depends on the moisture level of the grain.

I did not have much luck popping hulled or unhulled millet and just ended up with burnt grains.

Depending on the variety of millet you are using and its moisture level, you may more luck than I did.

To pop millet:

1. Place hulled millet grains one level deep in a heavy bottom pan set to medium heat.
2. Stir grains constantly – if they have the right moisture level, they should pop within two minutes.
3. Remove from pan immediately to prevent burning.

Popped millet can be used as a cereal or as a crunchy topping over salads.

Rinsing Millet

It is often recommended to rinse millet in cold water prior to using so as to remove any debris.

Rinsing millet also helps remove any excess starch on the surface of the grain that would make it more sticky.

If you intend to cook millet as a rice or couscous substitute, you will want to rinse the millet multiple times in cold water until the water runs clear.

If you intend to cook millet into porridge, the residual starchiness will help and in that case millet can simply be rinsed once just to remove any residual debris.

Soaking Millet Overnight

For maximum digestibility, millet can be soaked overnight.

Since hulled millet does not sprout well, you will want to use an acid like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to promote enzyme activity.

To soak millet:

1. Add enough water to cover millet with an extra inch of water.
2. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per cup of water used.
3. Soak overnight for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Rinse millet in cold water prior to boiling.

Boiled Millet

To cook millet as a rice or couscous substitute, you will want to use a ratio of 1 part grain to 2 parts liquid with a pinch of salt.

If millet has been soaked, ratio can be reduce to 1 part soaked millet to 1.5 parts liquid with a pinch of salt.

1. Bring millet and water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Reduce water to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Turn heat off and keep covered for 10 minutes.
4. Uncover and fluff grains.

Instant Pot Millet

The simplest way to cook millet as a rice or couscous substitute in the instant pot is to:

1. Use a ratio of 1 part millet to 2 parts liquid ( or 1 part soaked millet to 1.5 parts liquid) with a pinch of salt.
2. Use the Rice setting (low pressure, 12 minutes) with maximum natural release of 10 minutes (any longer will make the millet soggy)

Uses of Cooked Millet

Cooked millet can be used as a substitute for rice or couscous in most dishes.

In fact, millet is said to be the original couscous.

Cooked millet works well in vegetarian loaves, as a stuffing or as a casserole.

Millet Porridge/Soup

In most parts of the world, millet is very popular as a sweet or savory porridge using 1 part millet to 3 to 8 parts liquid, depending on the thickness desired.

Typically a milk or broth is used in addition to or as a replacement for water.

The cooking time is the same as for boiled millet.

Often, the millet is soaked overnight in an acid liquid such a buttermilk or yoghurt and then cooked in that same liquid.

Sweet Millet Porridge

For a basic sweet millet porridge:

1. Combine 1 cup millet to 4 cups plant milk with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
2. Let millet rest overnight at room temperature (for a less sour version, place in the refrigerator)
3. In the morning, add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
4. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes – stirring occasionally.
5. Serve immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Note: Dried or fresh fruit can be added to the porridge as well for extra sweetness.

Savory Millet Soup

For a savory millet soup:

1. Saute a chopped onion, one minced garlic clove for about 5 minutes until soft.
2. Combine 1 part millet grain with 6 parts vegetable broth and a pinch of salt.
3. Add 2 cups of chopped vegetables of choice such as carrots, celery, mushroom.
4. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to help release the starch.
5. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Millet Polenta/Gnocchi

The Millet Recipe Book contains an easy recipe for millet gnocchi which is essentially the same as polenta.

1. Blend 1 part millet to 4 parts plant milk in a blender with a pinch of salt.
2. Cook mixture over stovetop for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
3. Transfer mixture to a greased baking dish, spreading it to 1/2 inch thickness.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400° Farenheit for 20 minutes.
5. Polenta can be sliced into squares and served with sauce of choice.

Millet Flour

Millet can be ground into flour using a high speed blender, micronizer mill or stone grain mill. (For an in depth discussion on milling, please see this post.)

Since millet is gluten free, it is best used in making flatbreads, pancakes and other non yeasted baked goods.

If you want to add millet to a yeast bread recipe, use a maximum of 25% millet flour with wheat flour for the remaining 75%.

For a completely gluten free millet sandwich bread, you will need to add psyllium husks for structure as shared in this post.

Note: Cooked leftover millet is sometimes added to breads as well. For example, Tartine No. 3 contains a wheat bread recipe that uses millet porridge. Several variants of the recipe can be found online including this one. While the original recipe is not a whole wheat recipe, you could certainly adapt it to using whole wheat.

Books about Millet

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has two online books about millets: Unleashing the Potential of Millets and Millets Recipe Book.

There are few other books dedicated entirely to millet but you are likely to find millet recipes in most books focused on ancient grains and gluten free grains.

For example, Ancient Grains is a popular vegan book with many millet recipes.

Also, the New Book of Whole Grains has an extensive chapter on millet, with recipes that can easily be made plant based.

Where to Buy Millet

If you are looking for different varieties of millet, you may want to try a local Indian or Asian grocery store.

For 14 online vendors of millet, please see this post with a free PDF download of whole grain vendors.

Conclusion

As John Wooden used to say: adversity is your asset.

For those of you who are gluten intolerant, you have an opportunity to discover a much more diverse and delicious world of grains than you might initially have been aware of.

Hopefully this post about millet will have piqued your interest in this group of gluten free ancient grains.

Wishing you a grainlicious experience!

All information in this post is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute nutritional, medical or health advice.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.

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