(AGENPARL) – gio 15 giugno 2023 [cid:36f443a4-cd3f-4f2e-a0f7-8a722aa245f7]
Are you up to the millet dish challenge?
FAO’s Global Chefs Challenge is promoting millet recipes to introduce this under-valued food source into our diets
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© Fatmata Binta
A spoonful of olive oil, a handful of diced onions, a sprinkle of pepper, some finger millet batter and voilà, you have yourself a finger millet pancake<https://www.fao.org/traditional-crops/fingermillet/en/&gt;. For sure, there is an extra step or two of batter preparation before this, but it is just that easy!
But what are millets, you might ask. Well, millets are a diverse group of small-grained, dryland cereals that can contribute to our diets, communities and planet. Not only are they sources of antioxidants, minerals and proteins, they can also survive in different environments, including adverse climatic conditions, and can offer livelihood opportunities to small-scale farmers.
During this International Year of Millets<https://www.fao.org/millets-2023/en&gt;, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the Global Chefs Challenge<https://www.fao.org/millets-2023/the-iym2023-global-chefs-challenge/en&gt; to show off the great potential of millets. Chefs and hobby cooks from around the world have participated by sharing creative, easy and innovative dishes.
So on this Sustainable Gastronomy Day,<https://www.un.org/en/observances/sustainable-gastronomy-day&gt; a day when we lend attention to where our ingredients come from, how our food is grown and how it gets to our markets and our plates, learn about the contribution of millets to our diets and to planetary health.
Whether you are culinary curious, skilled in the kitchen or just love food, let these delicious recipes introduce you to a whole world of millets.
Fonio and okra stew by Chef Binta<https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnzCd7tts7-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&gt;
A fonio connoisseur and native of Sierra Leone, Chef Fatmata Binta launched the 2023 Global Chefs Challenge.
In her recipes, Chef Binta demonstrates her passion for West African ingredients, one of them being fonio millet – an ancient African grain. She collaborated on a recipe with women from Kolda, Senegal to share with us this delicious stew called soupu kanja. This recipe calls for numerous types of vegetables and meats, in addition to fonio. But with easy-to-follow steps, we too can try our hand at this classic dish, a nod to the chef’s West African roots.
Navratri Bruschetta by Chef Anahita<https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqIjpIvJP_X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&gt;
Another easy millet recipe not to miss is barnyard millet bruschetta by Chef Anahita Dhondy Bhandari.
A spin on the classic bruschetta, Chef Anahita substitutes flour with barnyard millet to create a tasty treat that pays homage to her Indian heritage. Millets have been widely cultivated and consumed in India for centuries. However, over time they have been overshadowed by other crops. Now, Chef Anahita is reintroducing this ancient grain in the form of a delectable snack.
Barnyard millet, also referred to as sama ke chawal in the recipe, provides essential nutrients such as some B vitamins, phosphorus and zinc. Use this millet as you would use other grains and explore new flavours at the same time!