What is millet, how does it grow and where is it used
Millet is considered the oldest cultivated grain on the planet. This plant has been beneficial to humans for many millennia, but not many people know how it looks and what kind of cereal is obtained from it.
Photos, useful properties, the use of millet and many more interesting things are below.
The content of the article
What is millet
Millet is a valuable food crop, an annual cereal. Due to its drought resistance, it is cultivated in many parts of the world with unfavorable conditions for agriculture.
More than 400 varieties of this cereal are known. Millet occurs naturally and as a wild-growing herb.
What does the plant look like and which family it belongs to
Millet has several varieties that are similar in appearance to each other.
Capitate, or Italian, millet is grown as a forage crop. Ornamental millet has beautiful purple leaves and is used as a hedge. In mountainous areas, wild millet is found - a weed grain.
Common millet, or sowing millet (Panicum miliaseum) is of economic importance.
This is an annual herb of the millet genus, the Cereals family.
Millet has several stems, which form a bush with a height of 0.45-1.5 m. The stems are cylindrical, hollow inside, have up to 10 nodes.
Leaves of a linear-lanceolate shape are arranged alternately. Size in length - from 18 to 65 cm, in width - 1.5-4 cm. The color of the leaves is green with a reddish tint.
A fibrous, highly developed root penetrates the soil to a depth of more than 1.5 m and to the sides by 1-1.2 m.
Millet forms panicle inflorescences 10 to 60 cm long, with 10-40 lateral branches. At the end of each branch there are single-flowered spikelets 3-6 cm in size. The flowers are bisexual with hard, glossy scales that tightly cover the grain and fall off with it.
Depending on what kind of inflorescence the plant has, there are such varieties of common millet:
- sprawling with long, straight panicles, in which grains of golden yellow color are formed;
- spreading with a long loose panicle;
- compressed forms long, curved inflorescences;
- oval has a short, straight, medium loose panicle;
- lumpy with a short, straight, dense panicle.
Millet fruits are spherical grains up to 2 mm in size, colored white, yellow, red or brown. From these grains, a cereal known as millet is obtained.
How and where it grows
Millet grains germinate at a temperature of 8-10 ° C. The sprouts can withstand temperatures down to -2 ° C. The plant tolerates an increase in temperature up to + 40 ° C. Millet is not demanding on moisture; with a lack of water, it stops growing. Rainfall in the second half of summer is beneficial, unlike other cultivated cereals.
The first mentions of millet cultivation in ancient China and Transcaucasia date back to the 5th century BC. e.
India is considered the leader in cultivation. It accounts for over 40% of the total production. It is an important crop in China and African countries. In Russia, millet is grown in the arid regions of the Volga and Central Black Earth regions.
The chemical composition of cereals
Millet contains starch, proteins, fatty acids (oleic, palmitic, stearic and others), fiber, essential amino acids.
Polished groats are rich in vitamins B1, B2, PP, as well as beta-carotene. The product contains almost all the necessary trace elements (iron, copper, iodine, silicon) and macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus).
KBZHU
Per 100 g of dry cereal content:
- protein - 11.2-11.5 g;
- fat - 3.3-3.9 g;
- carbohydrates - 54.6-66.5 g;
- energy value - 298-342 kcal.
The amount of nutrients varies depending on how the grain is processed.
Benefit and harm
The use of millet improves metabolism. The tone increases, the work of the nervous system stabilizes.
The high content of potassium and magnesium makes millet-based meals indispensable for maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system.
Iron accelerates the processes of hematopoiesis, therefore millet is recommended for the prevention and treatment of anemia.
Millet does not contain gluten, it can be safely consumed by people with allergic reactions to proteins of cereals.
Millet has a low calorie content and at the same time gives a feeling of fullness for a long time. Therefore, dishes made from millet groats are considered an ideal basis for dietary and unloading nutrition.
Millet should be used with caution by people prone to constipation. Dishes made from this cereal can harm with increased acidity of gastric juice, gastritis, heartburn.
Attention! Millet dishes are not given to children under three years of age, since they are too heavy for an unformed digestive system.
Types of cereals
There are three types of millet groats, which differ in the way they are obtained from raw materials:
- Dranets obtained by removing only the grain hulls. With such a gentle processing, most of the vitamins and minerals are preserved, which makes this type of cereal the most useful. The grains have a smooth, shiny surface. There is bitterness in the taste. Finding shingles on store shelves is not easy.
- Polished millet is more common, which is a kernel of millet grains. The shells and the embryo are removed during the grinding process. The content of useful components is less than in shingle. The grain is smooth, matte, bright yellow.
- Crushed grit consists of ground polished millet. Quickly boiled down, suitable for making viscous cereals.
- Polished groats have one unpleasant feature... When stored for a long time, the product acquires a bitter taste. This is because the fats in the cereal are oxidized upon contact with air - they turn rancid. You don't need to stockpile this product in large quantities. Choose clean, bright yellow kernels without debris when shopping.
Application
Due to its high content of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, millet is widely used in various fields: cooking, cosmetology, folk medicine, and agriculture.
In cosmetology
Regular use of products with millet extract moisturizes the skin, makes it smooth and elastic, and reduces the manifestation of age-related changes. These creams and masks are suitable for the care of sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions.
B vitamins in the composition have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the follicles and scalp. Preparations based on millet extracts are used to strengthen the structure and stimulate hair growth.
In agriculture
Millet is a part of livestock and poultry feed. Not only grain is used here, but also husk and straw. Millet is often used in poultry farming; groats are useful for young animals.
Silage made from green mass surpasses barley and oat silage in nutritional value.
In folk medicine
There are many popular recipes based on millet and millet that help with diseases of the kidneys, liver, and cardiovascular system.
To lower blood pressure, it is recommended to consume a total of 3 tbsp during the day. l. pre-washed and dried crushed grain. The product can be eaten dry or drunk from the same volume of grains.
For pancreatitis, it is useful to eat a portion of millet porridge with pumpkin pulp and vegetable oil for dinner.
Millet is a well-known mild diuretic. The condition with kidney diseases is facilitated by the infusion of grains in water. For cooking, take a glass of grains, pour 3 liters of hot water and leave for a day. Drink the remedy instead of other drinks.
In cooking
Millet groats have a characteristic taste and smell, it cannot be confused with any other.
Porridge is the most famous millet dish. It is boiled in water or milk, sweet or lean, served with stewed vegetables and meat or dried fruits. It all depends on the chef's taste and imagination.
Crushed millet is used for making soups, most often vegetable, fish soup, kharcho.
From millet, casseroles with an interesting peculiar taste are obtained.
How to cook millet porridge
Millet porridge is healthy, satisfying and tasty. In the arsenal of a good housewife, there are always 1-2 favorite recipes for this dish. For cooking, it is better to choose cereals of a bright yellow color, without debris.
Several recipes are described below, which are good because they can be adjusted to suit your own taste and needs. For example, replace butter with vegetable oil or refuse sugar.
On the water
Served as a separate dish or as a side dish.
Serves 4:
- millet - 1 tbsp.;
- water - 2 tbsp.;
- butter - 2-3 tbsp. l .;
- salt - 0.25-0.5 tsp. (taste);
- sugar - 1-3 tbsp. l. (taste).
The groats are sorted out, thoroughly washed with water (5-7 times) and scalded with boiling water to get rid of the bitterness. Put in boiling salted water, add 1 tbsp. l. oils. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened for 15-20 minutes. When serving, add the remaining melted butter, sugar if desired.
Milk
An ideal breakfast that will give you energy and good mood for the whole day.
Serves 4:
- millet - 1 tbsp.;
- water - 2 tbsp.;
- milk - 2 tbsp.;
- butter - 2-3 tbsp. l. (taste);
- salt - 0.25-0.5 tsp. (taste);
- sugar - 1-3 tbsp. l. (taste).
Millet is washed until the water is clear, poured over with boiling water. Prepared cereals are added to boiled salted water and cooked over high heat until the water boils away. Meanwhile, milk is boiled.
When the water has evaporated, the heat is reduced, hot milk is poured in and boiled, stirring, for about 10 minutes. Bring to readiness, leaving under the lid over very low heat for 5 minutes. Season the porridge with butter, add sugar or honey, dried fruits if desired.
With pumpkin
It can be prepared as an unusual and healthy dessert.
Serves 4:
- pumpkin - 1 kg;
- millet - 1 tbsp.;
- milk - 2 tbsp.;
- butter - 2-3 tbsp. l. (taste);
- salt - 0.25-0.5 tsp. (taste);
- sugar to taste.
Pumpkin wash, clean, cut into small cubes (1 × 1 cm). Millet is washed well, poured with hot water for 5 minutes - this will leave the bitterness and the cereal will cook faster. The milk is boiled (preferably in a thick-walled container).
Prepared pumpkin is put in milk, salted, sugar is added and brought to a boil. Pour in the cereal, cook under the lid, stirring occasionally, over the lowest heat until cooked for 20-30 minutes. Serve with melted butter.
Read also:
How to salt zucchini - 12 most delicious recipes.
Conclusion
Millet is a cereal of great economic importance. Due to its resistance to drought and heat, it is cultivated in many regions with an unfavorable climate for agriculture. The plant has a typical cereal appearance: narrow, alternately arranged leaves, a hollow stem, a fibrous root system. The peculiarity lies in the structure of the inflorescence. This is a panicle with spikelets at the ends of the twigs. From the fruits - rounded caryopses - they get cereals, the well-known millet.
Millet porridge, a favorite recipe for which every housewife has, rightfully takes an honorable place in Russian cuisine.
The high content of nutrients makes it possible to use millet not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology, folk medicine, and agriculture.