And so again, I return to millet, my favorite grain and hopefully for my patients as well. Why? According to Chinese medicine it is a both cooling and drying, and in the 21st century diet, this can only be healthy (to most patients). For diabetics, for overweight people, for high cholesterol - all are manifestations of heat and damp-phlegm. And again I will repeat this - millet has no taste on its own – it will take whatever you give him. If you make a pot left unseasoned, it will indeed only interest birds, but if you combine it with a salad, soup or balls - you will get a delicacy.
So here are millet patties that take just 90 minutes to make from start to finish and probably 5 minutes to finish them all. At the bottom, I suggest a few alternative options.
Needless to say, it’s vegan (unintentionally), gluten-free, flour-free.
What's in it? (For approx. 25 patties)
1 cup organic, rinsed millet (no need to soak)
Large sweet potato finely grated
A handful of finely chopped green onions
A handful of finely chopped coriander and mint
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons Mango Chutney (additional options below)
Roasted black sesame seeds to garnish (and nourish the Yin)
How to make?
1. Cook the millet – for one a cup of millet add 3 cups of water and a slice about 3 cm in size of Kombu Seaweed (a “natural MSG” that also softens the millet. BTW also excellent for preventing flatulence when eating legumes). 20-30 minutes until the millet is mushy. Cool at room temperature.
2. While the millet is cooking, lightly stir-fry the grated sweet potato, garlic, green onions, chopped coriander and mint with very little olive oil.
3. Mix all together, and with slightly wet hands make patties
4. Place on baking paper in a preheated oven at 220C for about 20 minutes until golden
5. It can be served with a sauce containing soy, ginger, sesame oil and Mirin sauce
Additional options:
These patties can be made in so many ways and flavors. You can add for example:
Wakama seaweed, for an even stronger Asian character (also excellent for menopausal women)
Grated Fresh (only!) ginger
Peanut butter (or almonds, cashews and others ) of good quality
Miso
Raw Tahini
And in greens: Add/replace with parsley, dill or lemongrass