When cooking queries regarding millet were recently brought up by two separate customers on the same day, we thought it might be a sign to serve our customers up a millet recipe. Or maybe even two!
Millet porridge is a common breakfast in several countries. It's also used as a high protein, nutritious alternative to rice, pearl barley and couscous. One of the conversations we had with a customer was about how to properly cook millet porridge. Some people find that the end result is a little firm, even after cooking thoroughly. After some trial and error, I think I've cracked the code. Huddle up: There are two methods that give you a satisfyingly creamy porridge, albeit with differing textures. The first method involves leaving the millet grains whole, but soaking them overnight before then cooking them for about 20 to 30 mins. It's basically the same method I use for steel cut oats, and the result is similar- a robust bowl of goodness. The second method is quicker and gives you a smoother, silkier porridge. You simply put the raw millet grains in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder and whiz it until the grains are much finer - about halfway to being a flour. Then you cook it in milk and water for 15 minutes. This is my preferred method, and the one I use below, but you might find you prefer the whole grain version.
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I used to find the idea of making my own chutneys and relishes daunting. It seemed to me that the making of these jars of delicious alchemy were the domain of expert veterans who had been taught the skill from their own forebears, with secret recipes passed down through the generations.
While there's a little truth to this - using an old family recipe definitely adds a pinch of magic and nostalgia - it turns out that anyone can whip up a simple chutney armed with just a saucepan, some pantry staples and a can-do attitude. Homemade chutney is such a good thing to have in the fridge. It instantly elevates a plain cheese sandwich to ploughman's lunch heights, adds liveliness to cold cuts, and does wonders when served on the side of a humble midweek dahl or curry. My recipe calls for dried fruit, which means no matter the season, the ingredients are always available! Dried fruit works beautifully in chutneys - when cooked and softened it adds a deep, rich flavour. I've used dried peaches, but feel free to use whatever dried fruit you fancy. When is bread not bread? When it's banana bread! Yep, we all know banana bread is cake, and that just the act of baking it in a loaf shape does not in fact make it bread, but we've all been calling it bread for too long to change now. And isn't it nice to justify cake for breakfast? I mean, we don't generally eat French fries for breakfast but we're always down for a hash brown. It's all about how you market it. Fried po-tay-to, fried po-tah-to. Same rules apply for banana bread.
This oh-so-simple mix and bake recipe is very handy. Feel free to make it your own by adding in different things. Sometimes I add blueberries, or a shot of cooled espresso, and on one decadent occasion, I stirred a giant spoonful of milo through the batter. Delicious! Have fun experimenting and making it your own. What's the difference between semolina porridge and semolina pudding? What time of day you eat it! Comforting, creamy semolina can be enjoyed at the beginning or the end of your day. Or both:)
Semolina is fine durum wheat flour. Often used in pasta and pizza dough, it's been around since ancient Roman times. Around the world it has various names like cream of wheat, farina and malt-o-meal. It's famously used in the delicious classic semolina cake. When we make this at our house we enjoy a funny little family tradition of serving the porridge on a flat plate rather than a bowl. A spiral of honey is drizzled from the outside into the centre, and we follow the spiral with our spoons, eating from the outer edge into the middle. Honey is a magical,wondrous thing. From how it's produced to how it tastes, looks and feels, we don't get over the marvel of it even as grown-ups! The English language even has a word inspired by it, an adjective that describes smooth and elegant movement, and sweet vocal tone: mellifluous. sweetly or smoothly flowing like honey. How neat is that?
Honey is loved all year round, but it really comes into its own in the colder months. It's almost an essential winter ingredient. Whether you're adding it to your morning porridge or drizzling it over a freshly made crumpet with lashings of butter, its rich fragrance, amber colour and pure sweetness just makes you feel warmer. As good as honey tastes, it's also wonderful at absorbing other flavours, just as other ingredients added to it can enhance the honey itself. While finding the right balance takes a bit of patience, your taste buds will truly be rewarded. I’ve been experimenting with flavouring honey for the past few months. Consequently my kitchen has become stacked with jars of honey and starting to look like a potions lab from Harry Potter. Below are my top 5 combinations. We think you'll enjoy experimenting with honey as much as we have! |
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