How to Make Millet Congee
Get inspired everyone! This is the breakfast that will change your life for the better!
Millet congee is a breakfast staple in China. Coupled with a protein and made exciting with a scatting of herbs, tamari and other aromatics, millet congee is hydrating, soothing and fortifying for the day ahead. I encourage you to make a big pot on the weekend, and eat it for breakfast throughout the week.
Millet congee with soy-cured quails eggs
Millet is a wonderful, totally underused grain with a mild, sweet and grassy flavour. It’s a low GI, non-glutinous grain that is generally well digested by everybody. It’s great for those suffering from SIBO who are seeking to rebalance their gut microbiome. Eat it to aid recovery when you are sick with a cold or a tummy bug. It’s also good for infants and kids.
Millet Congee
Gluten free, dairy free, plant-based options
Ingredients
1 cup good quality hulled millet
1 tbsp neutral flavoured oil (e.g almond oil)
About 2L recently boiled water or hot broth of your choice
Himalayan crystal salt to taste (we like it a little on the salty side - about 3 big pinches)
1-2 tbsp rice wine or sake (optional)
To serve:
An egg, done the way you like it
Sliced spring onion
Finely sliced ginger
Toasted sesame oil
Tamari
Method
Over a medium heat, dry-toast the millet until it smells pleasantly roasted and has turned a shade darker. Add the oil and stir to coat the grains.
Add 1 cup of water along with the sake and some salt. Turn the heat down to low.
Now, continue to add water as the congee cooks. Keep an eye on it and stir it regularly. When the millet has absorbed most of the water it’s time to add another ½ to 1 cup and give it a stir. Make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan or become lumpy or gluggy. When the congee is ready, the grains will be plump and soft and will absorb water much less rapidly. This takes about half an hour. (Be advised that different brands of millet will absorb different amounts of water.)
This amount of congee will make 4-5 breakfasts. Pop it in the fridge and heat up a serving each morning, adding a little water to loosen it. Top with an egg, spring onions, ginger, a few drops of sesame oil and a dribble of tamari.
Design your own congee
Keep things interesting by changing your congee toppings. Here are some suggestions:
Broths – chicken broth, bone broth, dashi, seaweed & shitake broth
Veggies - add some steamed Asian greens
Proteins – sliced left-over meat (chicken, duck or beef), poached salmon, pan-fried flathead, eggs any way, tempeh, mushrooms
Aromatics – chives, coriander, Japanese parsley, perilla, mint, ginger, togaroshi
Ferments – pickled veggies, kimchi