Millet Salad

Millet Salad is colorful, healthy and delicious on its own as a complete meal or served as a side or appetizer. Millet makes this recipe gluten-free and vegan. This is a 30 min quick and healthy meal which can be served anytime of the day. Millet can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to use. Here I used Little millet, but this recipe can be made with any type of millet. The credit goes to my friend Mohana for this healthy recipe. I learned this from her.

You can use it in place of couscous in recipes to make them gluten-free. Millet is an excellent whole grain to include on your diet like quinoa. It has a mild, slightly nutty taste and texture as well. Same process can be followed with quinoa also.

I cup dry millet yields about 3 1/2 cups cooked millet. Always soak millet at least for 4-6 hours. Millet can be cooked in 2 ways.

Stove top method for preparing 1 cup dry millet

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot.
  2. Add the soaked millet, then cover and reduce the heat.
  3. Simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Instant Pot method for preparing 1 cup dry millet

  1. Add the soaked millet and 1 3/4 cups water to the pot.
  2. Close the lid, and set it to the pressure cook mode for 10 minutes on high.
  3. Allow the pressure to release naturally. 

Transfer the cooked millets to a large salad bowl and allow it to cool.

How to make Millet Salad

PREP TIME: 10 MINS  COOK TIME: 5 MIN TOTAL TIME: 20 MINS  COURSE: MAIN COURSE  / Salad CUISINE: INDIAN SERVINGS : 4-5

Ingredients

  • cooked millet – around 3 cups ( 1 cup uncooked)
  • green, red, yellow capsicum/bell peppers – 1/4th each, finely chopped
  • peas – 1/4 cup
  • onions – 1/2 small, finely chopped
  • parsley – 2 tbsp
  • lettuce – 1/4-1/2 cup
  • mint leaves – 1-2 tbsp
  • jalapeno peppers, fresh/pickled – 2 tbsp
  • roasted peanuts – 2 tbsp
  • pitted olives, black/green – 2 tbsp
  • raisins – 2 tbsp
  • oil – 1 tsp
  • olive or peanut oil – 2-3 tbsp
  • lemon juice – 1/2 lemon/to taste
  • salt – to taste
  • pepper – 1 tsp

Instructions

  1. Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, add 1/2 sm chopped onion, saute them for 3 min. Then add cooked peas(can be microwaved for 2 mins to cook). Saute them 2 mins.
  2. Take the large salad bowl with cooked millet, add all the ingredients little by little as many veggies as you want to the millet bowl.
  3. Squeeze lemon juice and add olive/peanut oil. Toss everything well to blend all the flavors nicely. Check the taste for salt and adjust.
  4. Serve chilled or serve immediately as a salad or side dish.

step by step photo instructions

  1. Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, add onions, saute them for 3 min. Then add cooked 1/4 cup peas(can be microwaved for 2 mins to cook). Saute them 2 mins.

2. Take the large salad bowl with cooked millet 3 cups, add salt, colored bell peppers 1/4 each, add jalapenos, olives, lettuce, parsley, mint leaves, peanuts, peppers little by little and as many veggies as you want to the millet bowl.

3. Squeeze lemon juice and add olive/peanut oil. Toss everything well to blend all the flavors nicely. Check the taste for salt and adjust.

4. Serve chilled or serve immediately as a salad or side dish.

Tips

  1. You can use any veggies you like or whatever is on hand. Adjust the quantity of the ingredients as you like.
  2. Can add nuts or seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds, walnuts….
  3. It is also good to use grapes, pomegranate seeds or craisins.
  4. If you do not have parsley, you can substitute with cilantro.
  5. Kodo, barn yard, bown top or foxtail any millets and quinoa could be used.

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