Quick and easy-to-prepare pumpkin millet porridge or millet congee (南瓜小米粥) is a super comforting warm staple food that can warm the body up. It is only made with pumpkin, millet, water, and sugar.

millet porridge |chinasichuanfood.com

What’s Millet

Millet, an ingredient from ancient China, is one of the “five grains” on Chinese tables and is the popular staple food in Northern China. The Chinese name is “小米” while white rice is named “大米”. The name is used to describe the size of the grains. This grass plant grows in Asia and Africa.
Millet is often used as birdseed or as fodder for livestock. It can also be milled into flour or brewed into beer or used to make Chinese white spirit. Millet is a highly nutritious grain, and it is especially rich in vitamins and minerals. Although it is not as popular as other grains like wheat and rice, millet can be cooked in various ways. Millet can also be blended into flour. With that flour, you can make bread and pancakes. Millet flour is a great gluten-free substitute for regular flour.

Pumpkin and millet are the perfect matches

I believe that this pumpkin and millet is the perfect match for autumn. I love this autumn yellow color so much. Compared to regular porridge or congee, millet porridge has a higher fiber content. It is also gluten-free for those who are avoiding gluten. Millet is a great source of magnesium, potassium, and other minerals that our body needs. It also has a high fiber content that can help to regulate digestion. So it is very popular as a breakfast.

Pumpkin is not only rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants, but it is also a good source of fiber. Pumpkin cubes also help to depth the yellow color and add a natural sweetness to the millet porridge. So it is delicious even if no sugar or other sweeteners are added.

Ingredients needed

  • 1 cup of high-quality millet
  • 2 cups pumpkin–add natural sweetness and a lovely pumpkin color to the dish
  • rock sugar– optional, to improve the sweetness.
  • water

Instructions

  1. Wash the millet well and then soak it with clean water.
  2. Load a large pot with 3 liters of water. Bring the water to boiling and then add millet and pumpkin cubes. Continue heat until the content boils again.
  3. Then partially cut the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time to avoid the millet and pumpkin sticking to the bottom.
  4. Optionally add sugar to enhance the sweet flavor.
millet porridge |chinasichuanfood.com

What to serve with

My favorite way of serving porridge and congee is pickles, pancakes, and potstickers. Of course, this millet porridge can be served as a staple food instead of regular steamed rice. Following are some of the lovely serving ideas.

I served this with a very popular pickled vegetable called “Zha Cai”. Zha Cai is savory, crunchy pickled mustard green and thus creating very lovely comparisons on both texture and taste.

millet porridge |chinasichuanfood.com

Millet Congee

Healthy Millet Congee with pumpkin 
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: staple
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 109kcal
Author: Elaine

Ingredients

  • 1 cup millet
  • 2 cups pumpkin cubes
  • 3 liters water divided

Instructions

  • Wash the millet well and then soak it with clean water.
  • Load a large pot with 3 liters of water. Bring the water to boiling and then add millet and pumpkin cubes. Continue heat until the content boils again.
  • Partially cut the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time to avoid the millet and pumpkin sticking to the bottom.
  • Optionally add sugar to enhance the sweet flavor. Stir to disslove. Serve hot!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4940IU | Vitamin C: 5.2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.2mg
millet porridge |chinasichuanfood.com

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6 Comments

  1. Hi Elaine,

    I didn’t know millet porridge was a dish in China, too. Around here it’s usually cooked with milk and sweetened with honey or sugar and sometimes dried fruit. There is even an old and rather well known folk tale “Der süsse Brei” involving this dish (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Porridge).

    Now I haven’t eaten this since my childhood days, but your recipe tempts me to try it again.

    1. This sweet porridge seems quite good! In China, we have eight treasure congee or mixed congee, usually served as a very popular sweet porridge. Will try to cook porridge with milk.

  2. 5 stars
    This was so easy and tasty. We had it for breakfast with pork bao and pickled radish, and that’s definitely a combination we’ll have again!

  3. Thank you for offering this millet recipe. Millet, like other cereals, is set to play a more important role in the future diet again. It would be very interesting to get more instructions on the use and cooking of millet, both in the ancient cuisine of northern China, to experience the tastes and consistencies of the past, and adaptations to today’s dishes, cooking styles and consistencies.

    Thank you for the wealth of information in your blog!

    1. Guillaume,
      Yes, I plan to introduce Millet with several delicious ways of cooking. Thanks for your comment and suggestion. Happy cooking.