Millet can be used to thicken soups, or cooked in milk to make a breakfast cereal or added to breads and teabreads to boost their texture and flavor. While it is not a gourmet ingredient, millet can be tasty and is a good source of proteins as well as carbohydrates. Since Roman times at least, millet has been widely grown in North Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean countries. It is an important food for many of the world's poor, and is often fermented to make beers.

The dried grains are tiny, about the size of a pinhead, and colored pale yellow with a darker brown spot on one side. They swell considerably during cooking so it is important not to add too much to dishes such as soups. Millet flakes cook faster than the whole grains and are also used to thicken soups. Unless whole millet grains are cooked in plenty of liquid, they should be presoaked before cooking.

** Asian Recipes **