China · Home-style
Millet Porridge
The plainest porridge there is: millet cooked in a large amount of water over high heat first, then lowered until it turns thick and creamy.
Millet porridge is what many northern households eat when someone is unwell, because it is bland, soft and cheap, and it can be cooked in large quantities without attention. The critical moment is adding the millet to water that is already boiling, since grains dropped into cold water settle and scorch on the base. The lid is left slightly ajar so the foam that rises does not boil over, but not so far open that the surface layer of millet oil escapes.
Ingredients
- millet100 g
- water2000 g
Directions
- 1
Put 100 g of millet into a bowl and swish it once in water (stir it with your hand and pour the water off; this only removes the surface dust, so do not scrub it!)
- 2
Bring the water to the boil. It must be a rolling boil!
- 3
When the water is boiling, tip the millet into the pot. (This is a very important step that is easily overlooked)
- 4
Stir so the millet does not stick to the bottom, and keep it over high heat for six to ten minutes, stirring a few times in between.
- 5
Turn down to medium and then low heat and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes, leaving the lid slightly ajar; under no circumstances let the millet oil boil away, and keep stirring a few times so nothing catches on the base.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.