Review: Millet and Quinoa from Vegetable Heaven

[kwormann]

I made this for dinner tonight, and like any good cook, I made it different:)

Millet and Quinoa with Cashews and Sunflower Seeds
Serves 6

1 1/2 cups millet
1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups water
3/4 t salt
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup cashews

Place the millet and quinoa in a strainer and rinse throroughly under cold running water. Transfer the grains to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water and 1/2 t salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down as far as ti will go and simmer, covered for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the sunflower seeds in a blender and pulse a few times until they are coarsely ground. Add the cashews and pulse a few times more until the mixture resembles a very rough meal.

Place the nut-seed mixture in a heavy skillet and dry-roast over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is golden brown and goves off a tasty aroma. This will take about 10 minutes, but watch the pan carefully so the nuts and seeds dont burn.

back to grains. Stir the millet and quiona from the bottom of the pot with a fork and keep fluffing the grains for a minute or two, then cover again, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes longer, or untilthe grains are perfectly tender.

Transfer the grains to the bowl-to let steam escape. Let stand uncovered for about 15 minutes, repeating the fluffing procedure every few minutes or so.

Stir in the toasted cashew and sunflower seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.

Extra Stuff: I only made 1/2 recipe. I added 3 cloves chopped garlic to the nut mxture. When everything cooled a bit, I added chopped tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and sheeps milk feta. I think next time, if I was going to add the extras, I would cut dowjn a bit on the nuts and seeds. I ate this cold with a green salad. This will be a repeater!

[donleyk]

Thanks for the recipe! Sounds great.

[jazzyjas]

Kim,
Just this morning I am trying to come up with a millet recipe to use up the millet that won't fit in my pantry and has been sitting on the counter since I made the curried cauliflower soup. Thanks for more ideas

jasmine

[emilycat]

Here's another one -- I made it on Sunday for lunch and thought it was really yummy. I did use less oil and a bunch of dried shiitakes instead of fresh, and I used fresh corn kernels and extra parsley.

CURRIED MILLET, SHIITAKE, AND CORN SALAD
RESTEY

I cook millet about once a week — it fits into my macrobiotic diet
and tastes great. I often make this recipe for friends as it pleases
just about everyone.

Millet is a small round golden grain that has a high vitamin
and mineral content. Although millet is unfamiliar to most
people in this country, it is a staple throughout Africa, India,
and Asia.

4 tablespoons vegetables oil
1 cup millet*
2 cups water
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups fresh corn (cut from about 4 ears), or frozen, thawed
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon seasoned rice-wine vinegar
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine

*available at natural foods stores

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat and cook millet, stirring
frequently, about 3 minutes, or until it makes popping sounds and begins to turn golden.
Remove skillet from heat.

In a small saucepan bring water to a boil and stir in millet. Cook millet, covered, over low
heat 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Transfer millet to a large bowl and fluff with a
fork.

In cleaned skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking
and sauté onion, stirring, until softened. Add shiitake and cook, stirring, until softened, about
2 minutes. Add corn and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Still in curry
powder, soy sauce, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste
and add to millet.

Serves 4 to 6.

Gourmet
January 1996
Mark Restey: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[sherri]

thanks for the review on the millet/quinoa,I hesitated to make this because of all the nuts it called for...but your varation sounds tasty....I will definitely make it!

[kwormann]

My DH LOVED the millet! He wants to know if we can have grain salads made with Millet everynight!

Sherri, I made it with all the nuts and seeds because it was the first time....and BOY was it good! However, I would pprobaby use 1/4 cup of each, or even 1/8...i think that would add enough flavor w/o the fat. Dh has requested next time I leave out the nuts alltogether and just add the tomatoes, lemon and feta....I LOVE finding things he is enthused about!

[sherri]

Kwormann,
thanks for the tip about the nuts, I am making this tonight!

[sherri]

I made this tonight and just used the nuts I had on hand. I did about 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds and 1/4 cup pine nuts and also had a few cloves of garlic when I put them in the food processor
It was very good. Next time I will try cashews with it.
We also added some lemon juice and a few cherry tomatos.