Millet Porridge of This Citrus Ginger recipe warms your body from the inside out. It is perfect for you if you have a phlegm damp constitution because it helps break up stagnation in the body.
The story behind this phlegm damp recipe
I would be a very happy person if I got to eat citrus and ginger every day, all day. It’s one of my favorite combinations. It’s warming and sunny and just puts me in a good mood. I particularly love grapefruit, but the bitterness can be too strong for most people, so in this recipe, I tried to give you a taste without it being too overpowering.
Whenever possible, I try not to cook things in plain water. If I can get a little more flavor into the food, why pass up that opportunity? Millet has a somewhat nutty flavor, but it’s pretty subtle, which means that it’s a perfect candidate to cook in ginger tea to add layers of flavor to this dish.
Also, because millet is a seed, it doesn’t break down as much when you cook it. If you aren’t used to it, it can be hard to appreciate at first.
That’s why I like to throw it into the food processor first and “crack” it. I don’t want it all to be fine like flour but broken down a little so that it’s a bit smoother. This will make the texture more akin to grits or polenta. The result is warming and comforting, but also has enough zing to power you through the morning.
My Body Constitution Quiz
Don't know your TCM body constitution?
Millet Porridge of Citrus Ginger
Ingredients
Millet:
- 1 c. millet
- 2 c. boiling water
- 2 inches (or 2 tbsp.) fresh ginger
Compote:
- 5 oranges
- ½ grapefruit – if you don’t like grapefruit, you can omit
- 1 lemon (The lemon in this photo is huge, so I only used half)
- 2 inches (or 2 tbsp.) fresh ginger
- 1 c. water – if you really love ginger, you can use ginger tea here as well
Directions for Citrus Ginger Millet Porridge
- Run millet through the food processor for about a minute. You don’t want it to be fine like a flour, but it should look a little “cracked.”
- Chop the first 2 inches of ginger and put into a glass or metal container. Pour boiling water of it and set aside to steep. This is your “tea.”
- Peel all the fruit and chop. You want to keep the pith for texture and fiber.
- Peel ginger and grate it or thinly slice it.
- Combine the fruit, ginger, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Keep stirring while it simmers until it thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the ginger from the “tea.” Pour into a separate saucepan with the millet.
- Stir regularly while you bring the millet and tea to a boil. Then lower the heat so it simmers for about 20 minutes or until it reaches your preferred thickness.
- To serve, dish out the millet in bowls and top with the fruit.
- Store servings in the fridge for up to one week.
Servings: 4
Run millet through food processor
Prepare fruit and ginger
Everything in the pot
Finished sauce
Cooked millet
Finished Citrus Ginger Millet Porridge
My Body Constitution Quiz
Don't know your TCM body constitution?
