Millet Porridge

Millet is a grain that is totally unknown to most people, including my family. Being dirt-cheap (Rs. 19 for a kilo!) doesn't help its reputation as a poor man's grain. People in the West associate millet solely with bird feed. But there is a dearth of recipes you can make with these tiny little pellets that resemble the tiny beads you find in your bathing/shower gels.

What I have made is an upma, or porridge with red millet seeds. With millet, you definitely need to do some prep work - soaking for 8 hours is a must prior to cooking.

Millet Porridge

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup of red millet (ragi)
• 1/2 cup of assorted greens
• 1/2 capsicum
• 1/2 tomato
• 2 cloves of fresh/green garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1/4 onion
• 5-10 curry leaves
• Tablespoon of oil

To make:
Prep Work: Soak the millet overnight in two cups of water. Drain the water upon waking and replace with fresh clean water. I'd soaked mine along with some chick pea.

Boil the millet in water with some salt (Twice as much water as millet) for 20-30 minutes. If the water runs out, add more.

Chop the onion, chillies and garlic fine. I've used fresh green garlic - Dried is fine too. With the fresh green one, you can also use the entire green stalk which is also flavorful.

In a frying pan, add the oil, chopped chillies, curry leaves, garlic, and onion for tempering.

Once the millet is done, turn off the gas. Drain excess water.

Add the millet to the frying pan. Mix well for a minute.

Turn off the gas. Lay aside for a minute.

Then add the capsicum, tomatoes and greens so they are still mostly raw. Mix well.