Millet is a nice change to using couscous or bulgar and it a great gluten free alternative. Millet is a delicious, nutritious seed that is used as a grain, just like quinoa, but a fraction of the cost and doesn’t have the bitterness of quinoa. I made this warm salad on Friday for The Mantra Room and it was a real hit. Many people said they had never had millet before and were surprised at how delicious it was. Millet can be used as patties, porridge, bakes and a myriad of other dishes. Just take that first step of trying it and you’ll be hooked.
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup finely diced dried apricots
- Warm water
- 1 block of firm tofu – cubed and lightly fried until golden
- ½ punnet cherry tomatoes – finely chopped
- ½ bunch fresh mint – finely chopped
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
Dressing:
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
In a bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, coriander, cumin and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a saucepan, combine millet, salt and cold water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed and millet is tender. Fluff with a fork, spread on a large baking sheet and let cool completely. You can cook the millet in a rice cooker which makes things much easier or in a pressure cooker for a faster result.
Meanwhile, place cranberries and apricots in a small bowl. Cover with warm water and let stand for about 5 minutes or until plump. Drain and set aside.
Place cooled millet in a large salad bowl. Add cranberry mixture, tofu, cherry tomatoes, fresh mint and almonds. Add the dressing and toss to combine.
As an optional extra you can add some mixed lettuce.