On days you don’t want to indulge in a heavy meal, a light, refreshing salad has always been our go-to. The idea of a light meal with fresh, crispy vegetables, a tangy dressing and a protein substitute offers us a holistic meal in a single bowl. Now, what if we suggested adding a little more substance to your regular salads? Something that fills your tummy and offers you a nutritious boost all at once. Enter the goodness of nutrient-rich grains with this delicious millet salad. So, let’s embark on this culinary adventure and encounter a list of scrumptious millet salad recipes you may recreate when you need a burst of health with delectability in every bite.
Millet, this humble cereal, is often overlooked in favour of rice and wheat, but best believe it is a force to be reckoned with. Offering a new-age twist on an old classic is the millet salad. It incorporates cooked and cooled millet as a base, with additional toppings such as vegetables, legumes and sauces. The inclusion of this grain in a common salad allows for a unique nutty flavour and sustenance to the dish, which can be enjoyed for all three meals throughout the day in variation.
Here are a few millet salad recipes you can toss up the next time you are craving a refreshing summer meal within minutes:
Rinse a cup of foxtail millet thoroughly and transfer it to a saucepan with about 2 cups of water. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over it and bring it to a boil. Gradually reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Once the water is absorbed, take the pan off the heat and set it aside. After five minutes, fluff the cooked millets and spread it over a large plate to cool it down completely. Toss the cooled millet with lemon juice, olive oil, some Dijon mustard and seasonings. Garnish with some chopped mint, coriander, lemon zest and sunflower seeds.
Here’s how to cook millet for a filling Mediterranean salad. Half a cup of quinoa and kodo millet separately. Cook the millet following the standard procedure with water and vegetable broth and set it aside to cool. Repeat the same technique for the quinoa and cook for about 15 minutes. Once the grains are cooled and fluffed with a fork, transfer it to a large salad bowl. Add chickpeas, chopped cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and dill to this mix. Pour over a dressing of combined olive oil, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar and serve this cold millet salad fresh.
If you are craving a millet salad with an Indian spice twist, then this recipe is for you. Cook at least a cup of millet in two cups of water and set it aside once done. Preheat the oven to about 400°F (200°C) until you wash the veggies. Chop some bell peppers, red onions, florets of broccoli and season the same with a tablespoon of olive oil, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread these veggies over a baking tray and toss it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the millet to a large bowl with the roasted vegetables and chopped coriander. Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil with some lemon juice and seasonings. Toss and serve hot.
We love the complex flavours of an Asian-inspired dish. So, recreate that same magic here with this millet salad recipe. Prepare a cup of your preferred millet as you would and set it aside to cool. In another bowl, add half a cup of shredded carrots, steamed edamame beans, sliced red cabbage, chopped onions and a tablespoon of sesame seeds. In a small sauce plate, whisk together some soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss the millet salad with this dressing and you’re done!
Yes, you can even elevate the nutty notes of millets with a tropical fruity take on your regular millet salad recipes. To do so, take a large mixing bowl and add a cup of cooked millets. Subsequently, add some chopped mangoes, pineapple, cubed red bell pepper, onion, coconut shavings, and give this a good mix. To create a dressing, whisk some lime juice, honey, salt and red pepper flakes together. Pour this over the salad and ensure the ingredients are coated evenly. Serve this cold millet salad over a glass of fresh fruit juice.
Globally, the millet salad has been paired with chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and so on. For the millet salad recipes in this blog, you may experiment with a range of millets such as foxtail, proso, pearl, sorghum, or little millet. Swap the ingredients and gradually discover your preferences to add this delicious dish to your diet.
