Sticky Millet & Pumpkin Porridge
黄米南瓜粥
English: Sticky Millet & Pumpkin Porridge
Chinese: 黄米南瓜粥
Pinyin: huangmi nangua zhou
Literal: Sticky/glutinous millet pumpkin porridge
Millet is a neglected grain. I’d never even heard of it in the UK, and when traveling around China, it usually only appears in Beijing and the surrounding provinces. We’re familiar with southern congee - rice-based, pale and soothing - but in the north, where rice was once scarce, millet was the everyday staple, simmered slowly into breakfast.
Millet has a gentle nuttiness, the grains swelling like rice yet keeping their round, distinct shape. For this porridge, sticky or glutinous millet is key: a variety that softens into something thick and velvety, almost creamy. It drinks up water greedily, so keep the kettle close and add more as needed, letting the pot guide you.
Northern kitchens lean heavily on porridges, but this is comfort food at its most tender. Creamy millet folded with sweet pumpkin or kabocha squash, the colour turning a deep egg-yolk orange - the sort of breakfast that brings light to anyone’s dark winter morning.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
115g of glutinous millet (黄米)
200g pumpkin or kabocha squash
1.8 litres (6 cups)) of water
2-3 slices of ginger - no need to peel
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon goji berries
Method
Place the millet in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. This removes surface starch and prevents the porridge from being overly gluey, and then soak for 30 minutes - this will reduce the cooking time.
Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Cut it into bite-sized cubes (about 1 inch) and then steam the cubes for 12 minutes.
In a medium-sized pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the rinsed millet with the ginger. Stir the water as you add the millet to avoid it clumping together.
Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking at the bottom.
While the porridge is cooking, puree half the pumpkin with a few drops of water if you need to loosen the mixture.
After 15 minutes, add the pumpkin chunks to the porridge. The porridge is ready when the millet is fully bloomed and soft. You may need to add more water if the consistency is too gloopy. You want the porridge thick but easily pourable. Depending on the millet, sometimes I need 500ml more of water.
For the last 3 minutes, stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Taste and add more if you prefer a sweeter porridge.
Ladle the hot porridge into bowls and top with the pumpkin seeds and goji berries. Serve and eat immediately as the porridge will thicken as it cools.
