Millet is one of the lesser-known ancient grains, that is just gaining popularity among health conscious people. Because of its unique properties, millet is especially attractive for those who are looking for gluten-free options. While in the Western part of the world millet is still not very common in the kitchens, in many Asian countries it’s been used for thousands of years – in fact, the oldest discovered noodles in the world were found in China, and they were made from millet flour! Apart from its health and nutrition benefits this grain has a distinctive taste and can be used as a base for delicious and unusual dishes. We would like to share with you a recipe for one of them. Just don’t forget to soak your millet for at least 30 minutes before you cook it!

Ingredients

millet, soaked for at least 30 minutes – 1 cup

onion – 1 small-sized

ginger, chopped in small pieces – 1 tsp

tumeric – 1/2 tsp

lemon juice – from 1/2 lemon

tomato – 1 medium-sized

carrots – 2 medium-sized

green beans – 1/2 cup

green peas (optional) – 1/2 cup

ghee or oil for frying – 1 tsp

any herbs for garnishing (basil, parsley, coriander etc.)

Method

Step 1. Put 1 cup of millet in 2 cups of boiling water and boil for about 15 minutes – until water evaporates completely. Note that millet will increase in size when it is cooked.

Step 2. Put one spoon of ghee (or vegetable oil of choice) in a pan, then add chopped onion and ginger. Fry the mixture for about 2 minutes until onions are slightly transparent.

Step 3. Add the remaining chopped vegetables to the pan, all at once. Cook for a few minutes until carrots are slightly soft. Vegetables shouldn’t be overcooked, they should remain slightly raw.

Step 4. When vegetables are ready, add chopped tomato, salt and tumeric to the pan. Mix everything together and add millet. Mix everything together once again and cook for the last 3 minutes.

Step 5. Switch off the gas and squeeze half a lemon on top of the millet. Your dish is ready! Before serving you can garnish your millet upma with fresh herbs of your choice – to us, parsley tastes the best!