Millet is an underappreciated grain mostly used for bird food in this country, which is a shame because it's really very versatile! We love millet in my house, as it is rich in iron and protein, gluten-free and easy to digest. It's a bit bland on its own but it is awesome at absorbing flavors, so combine it with a flavorful sauce and you will have a tasty meal!
I made this creamy and comforting dish because my son dislikes rice but loves millet and coconut milk. The millet is an excellent replacement for rice, and healthier too! As I made it for my 2-1/2 year old, it is not spicy whatsoever but feel free to add some red pepper flakes or a chopped chile along with the onions - I think that I will definitely spice it up if I ever make this just for myself!
- Zest of half a small lemon
- 5 cups Water
- 1 cup uncooked Millet
- 2 cups Coconut milk
- 1 tsp grated fresh Ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1-1/3 cup diced Onion
- 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
- 1-1/2 to 2 tsp Fresh Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tbsp Canola oil (non-gmo is best)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 medium Yukon gold Potato, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 whole cloves (optional)
- Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil. Add Millet, salt and cloves if using, and boil vigorously for 20 minutes, adding the diced potato and carrot during the last 10 minutes. Drain well in a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, lower the heat to med-low and add the garlic and ginger. Let them sizzle for about 10 seconds; then add the diced onion. Cook, stirring constantly until onion is tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Bake for 28 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting it into 12 bars.
- Whisk the lemon juice, zest, salt and coconut milk together and add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to scrape all the flavors from the bottom of the pan. Add millet, carrots and potatoes and cook for another minute. Serve hot.