F for finger millet for #AtoZChallenge: East Asian style Finger millet porridge by ServicefromHeart

Finger millet (also known as ragi / Muthari kurukku / Kezhvaragu / pampered corn / Nachni / Eleusine coracana / 䅟子), is a rich source of calcium, protein, fiber, vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin). 



This grain is very cooling on a hot day, especially for hot summer or dry spell (kemarau) such as an extreme one that we had in Singapore from February to mid March 2014. It is the driest one since 1869 for Singapore.

withered bougainvillea during a dry spell in Singapore (2014)

Finger millet can grow with less water than rice and wheat does.



Thank you for the finger millet that Candida gave me (and baby Ren)! She has given liquid of finger millet - mixed with milk - to her baby girl Divita since she turned 6 months old.



The choice for finger millet over wheat is probably due to more easily digested proteins of the former.

Finger millet also contains the amino acid methionine (Met / M) - the only amino acid coded by the initiation codon AUG of mRNA for protein synthesis. 

For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 07 Mon, I lovingly present a recipe of East Asian style Finger millet porridge by ServicefromHeart. 



Serving:1
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
♥ 3 tbsp finger millet seeds (穇子)
♥ 1 tsp wolfberries (枸杞子), washed & soaked until fluffy
♥ 1 egg (鸡蛋)
♥ 1 tsp sesame oil (麻油)
♥ grounded white pepper (白胡椒粉) to taste
♥ 1 fresh parsley leaf (香菜叶)

Directions:
1. Wash ragi by rubbing them in water for a minimum of 3 times.
2. Soak ragi overnight or at least 15 minutes.
3. Add finger millet to soup stock / boiled filtered water.
4. Stir finger millet continuously to ensure thorough cooking until the porridge thickens and bubbles stop to form on surface.
5. When finger millet is almost cooked, gently add egg & wolfberry. Stir.
6. Add white pepper. Mix well.
7. Garnish with parsley.



Other recipes that I love:
♥ An advice to cook ragi properly to prevent constipation from Yummy Tummy
♥ ragi drink for baby by Oishi
♥ Ragi porridge recipe for baby
♥ Sweet ragi malt
♥ Swathi combines ragi and oats



Next time, I will use finger millet flour so to cook faster so that I can play more with Baby Ren, an idea for a future #5minutemeal recipe! 



With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140407

comforting rice porridge (spring 2014)

Porridge, also known as congee / Okayu お粥 / bubur, is comforting food for breakfast, lunch, or supper. It is easy to prepare yet generously fueling our days with energy and nutrients.



Baby Ren loves thick but not thin porridge, so I use a ratio of 1:5 or 1:6 of rice grain:water.

Hot, nutritious and comforting porridge is a happy choice of our breakfast this spring. Sometimes, I use slow cooker to cook porridge overnight so it will be ready in the morning.

Fish porridge
♥ 150g Haruan fish
♥ 1 tsp anchovies
♥ 3/4 rice cooker cup rice grain
♥ 1/4 rice cooker cup barley



Seafood porridge
♥ 150g Haruan fish
♥ 1 tsp anchovies
♥ 4 scallops
♥ 1 tbsp dried scallops
♥ crabmeat, to taste (optional)
♥ 3/4 rice cooker cup rice grain
♥ 1/4 rice cooker cup barley

Meat porridge
♥ 200g pork ribs
♥ 1 carrot
♥ 1 tbsp dried scallops
♥ 8 red dates, pitted
♥ 1 tbsp wolfberries
♥ 3/4 rice cooker cup rice grain
♥ 1/4 rice cooker cup barley



To enhance the flavor of porridge, consider adding the followings:
♥ white pepper
♥ sesame oil
♥ sesame seeds (white / black)
♥ fried red onion
♥ cilantro / coriander, finely chopped
♥ parsley, finely chopped
♥ nuts e.g. peanuts, pistachio, almond
♥ balsamic vinegar / wine vinegar

Sometimes I add any / some of these ingredients:
♥ millet: pearl millet, finger millet
♥ quinoa
♥ barley
♥ couscous
♥ oat
♥ lotus root powder / lotus root
♥ wild yam / 淮山 / Huaishan / Dioscorea opposita. I bought the powder form so it will dissolve faster while cooking.
♥ mushroom e.g. shitake
♥ sweet potato
♥ potato
♥ carrot
♥ celery
♥ onion
♥ peas
...
Do you have more suggestions? I would love to hear from you ♥



Tips:
♥ Once cooked, do not stir the entire pot of porridge to prevent them from turning thin / watery. If you want to add no-cook ingredients (e.g. sesame oil, pepper, chopped scallion), take a large scoop of porridge into a serving bowl. Then, add the desirable ingredients and stir.
♥ If possible, use freshly harvested rice grain, especially for babies.



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Porridge cooked with rice cooker:



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Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140501