A lot of people have been asking me about the seeds sprinkled on top of my pies. It’s Millet. Like quinoa and amaranth, Millet is a gluten-free ancient grain.

It’s become popular for it’s nutritious DNA, but it’s been often dismissed as birdseed. Dry, if you pop it into your mouth, it breaks like a biscuit and tastes like dry flour. My neighbor Oratile was the one who noticed I was allowed to eat this grain from my dietician’s list of foods. She is from Botswana and immediately ran home and brought me Millet since it’s a staple in her home. She’s taught me how to cook it and made me a dish similar to the one below.

Did you know: Per 100 g raw millet has 378 Calories and is a rich source of protein, fibre and several vitamins, especially manganese. One grain is 9% water, 73% carb, 4% fat and 11% protein.

Pan-fried garlic Kale

Ingredients

1 bunch sliced Kale (12-14 stems washed and de-veined)

1 tsp oil

1 tsp garlic

1 onion chopped

chilli flakes

seasoning

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide pan and fry onion until it’s translucent.

2. Add garlic and chilli flakes and give it a quick stir.

3. Add kale and let it wilt in the pan before turning.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

Millet

(I buy the Nature’s Choice version in Pick n Pay)

Ingredients

1 cup Millet

3 cups boiling water

Vegetable stock cube (omit if you don’t want to use this)

Salt to taste

Method

1. In a large pot, add in all your ingredients.

2. Bring it back to a boil.

3. Reduce heat immediately and cover

4. Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes and stir occasionally until the water has absorbed.