Although rarely celebrated, millet porridge is perhaps the most important food of China. It is not glamorous, nor does it look particularly interesting, but it has sustained millions of Chinese for thousands of years, from the earliest settlements along the banks of the yellow river, through to emperors, warriors and farmers. Without millet, there would arguably be no Middle Kingdom at all.

Millet was domesticated in in the Yellow River Valley over 9000 years. It was one of the few crops that thrived in the dusty loess soil of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei and Beijing, as well as in the arid sandy soil of Inner Mongolia. Millet could survive the frequent droughts of the North, could withstand the plain winds and grew quickly in the hot summers, maturing before winter frost ruined the crop.

The Northern diet has long revolved around this resilient grain and cooks have found myriad of ways to turn it into meals and snacks, from stuffed millet pancakes, millet buns and bread to sticky millet cakes to millet porridge and even fermented millet alcohol and beer. That this ancient grain still has a place on modern tables fascinates me. Every time I simmer a pot of millet porridge, I feel connected to the history of China and to some of the first civilisations on Earth.

Though rarely eaten in the South, millet porridge remains a beloved breakfast in Beijing—simple, warm, and soothing, with soft grains suspended in a gentle, buttery-yellow broth. A plain bowl is calming, almost moment of peace without distraction. I love the quiet simplicity, but when I want a touch of flare, I enjoy adding red dates, goji berries, or chunks of steamed pumpkin with a drizzle of honey.

Serves 4