The Best Millet Cakes

I bought a package of millet a while ago and it has been sitting in my kitchen cabinet for months. I really didn’t know what to do with it.
Thing is, millet is a healthy seed. Gluten-free, highly alkaline with lots of fiber, iron, B vitamins, and precious nutrients such as manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium.
I wanted so badly to include it in my diet but didn’t where to begin with.
Last week I finally muster up the courage and began experimenting. To make a long story short, I tried baking muffins with it but it was an utter disaster. I made some sort of porridge/oatmeal; it was so bad it nearly ruined my whole day. I made a bread with millet which was kind of good, nothing too exciting though. Yes, millet is a toughie to cook.
I was ready to throw in the towel but then I went to Cafe’ Ghia in Bushwick, Brooklyn (NYC) for brunch where I had some amazing millet cakes. I dissected them and tried to identify all the ingredients; made a mental note and went home experimenting.
It took me several attempts but in the end I aced it, or at least I think so.

These cakes are really good and can be paired with any vegetable or sauce. I’ll let you find how to put them to good use. Nutritionally they’re in a league of their own, low calories, full of fibers, proteins, and (last but not least) gluten-free. Definitely worth a shot! 

The Best Millet Cakes                                                                                          Print this recipe!
Inspired by Cafe Ghia in Brooklyn

Few notes. There’s no skipping toasting the millet. It’s not only about taste, it will make it easier to digest it. Also, cook it well, it’s rather unpleasant to chew raw millet.
I know that whipping egg whites can be painful, but it makes these little cakes much more fluffier and enjoyable to the palate.
I like the taste that sage and rosemary bring, but I guess you can experiment with other fresh herbs.

Ingredients
Makes 22 cakes

1 cup / 7 oz / 200 gr millet
2 cups / 500 ml vegetable broth
3 free range eggs, separated
⅓ cup / 3.5 oz / 100 gr Greek yogurt
2 medium carrots, grated
2 tablespoons olives chopped (or olive tapenade)
1 teaspoon sage, chopped
1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In large skillet over medium heat, dry roast the millet until golden; this will take about 5 to 6 minutes. You’ll know the millet is done when there will be a nice aroma permeating the kitchen (sort of pop-corn like).
In the meantime, in a pot bring the vegetable stock to a rolling boil. Add the roasted millet, turn the heat down, cover with a lid and let simmer for approximately 20 minutes (or until the millet has absorbed all the stock). Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl mix the egg yolks, Greek yogurt, carrots, olives, sage, and rosemary. Stir in the millet, salt and pepper and mix until well incorporated.
In a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer (or in a bowl with an electric hand mixer), fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt, starting on low, increasing incrementally to medium speed until soft peaks/trails start to become visible, and the egg white bubbles are very small and uniform, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Fold the whipped egg whites into the millet mixture.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Scoop 2 tablespoons of mixture into the skillet and with the help of a spoon form small cakes and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden.
Serve warm.

Nutrition facts

One millet cake scores 50 calories, 2.1 grams of fat, 6.4 grams of carbs, and 2.1 grams of protein.