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cooked millet in a bowl
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How to cook millet (Easy millet recipe)

Discover how to cook millet using a stovetop pan, stovetop pressure cooker, or Instant Pot for a fast and effortless meal.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Global
Keyword cooking millet, how to cook millet, millet recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 198kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Pressure cooker
  • Rice cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup millet
  • 1.25 cups water exact quantity depends on the cooking method. Check millet water ration section.
  • 1 teaspoon oil optional but recommended for fluffy millet

Instructions

Prep millet

  • If you are soaking the millet, do it for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Wash the millet a couple of times with clean water. If you are not soaking it, you may need to rub it with your hands to remove the dirt.
  • Drain the water from the millet entirely and keep it aside.

How to cook millet using Stove top pan

  • Heat a thick-bottomed cooking pot or pan. Add the drained millet and the appropriate amount of water to the cooking pot, and close it partially with the lid. 
  • For soaked millet, use 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of millet. The millet-to-water ratio is 1:2 for unsoaked millet. That means, for every 1 cup of millet, use 2 cups water.
  • Increase the heat to high and let the water come to a boil, which usually takes about 5 minutes.
  • Now reduce the heat to low and fully cover the pot with the lid.
  • Let the millet cook until all the water is absorbed. It will take around 6 to 8 minutes for pre-soaked millet and 10-13 minutes for unsoaked millet.
  • Your millet will be perfectly cooked when all the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional ten minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, fluff it up with a fork, and the cooked millet is ready to be savored and enjoyed.

Cooking millet using Instant pot

  • Add drained millet, water, and a teaspoon of oil to the inner pot. Use 1.25 cups of water for 1 cup of pre-soaked millet. And for unsoaked millet, use 1.75 cups of water.
  • Close the lid properly, and move the steam-releasing valve to the SEALING position.
  • Select manual or pressure cook mode and cook it on HIGH PRESSURE for 4 minutes if using pre-soaked millet. Cook it for 8 minutes if using unsoaked millet.
  • Switch it off once done, wait 10 minutes, and do a normal pressure release.
  • Fluff it up with a fork, and the millet is ready to use.

How to cook millet in a Stovetop Pressure Cooker

  • Add millet, water, and teaspoon of oil to the pressure cooker.
  • Close the lid and let it cook for 1 to 2 whistles on medium-high heat for pre-soaked millet. It will take around 5 minutes. For unsoaked millet, cook it for 2-3 whistles, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Once done, take it out of the heat and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Once the pressure is released completely, remove the lid and fluff it up with a fork.

Rice cooker millet

  • Add drained millet, water, and teaspoon of oil to the rice cooker's inner pot.
  • If you use soaked millet, use 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup. For unsoaked millet, for every 1 cup of millet, use 2 cups of water.
  • Close the rice cooker with its lid and use a white rice setting if your rice cooker has options to select. Else select the cook button.
  • Once the rice cooker completes the cooking process, switch it off and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then fluff up the millet using a fork, which is ready for use.

Notes

Nutrition values are my rough estimates. Please feel free to use your calculator if you rely on them for your diet.
 
  • This method will yield fluffy millet. If you want porridge consistency then use 1:3  millet to water ratio.
  • Check the millet to water ratio section for more details.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 2mg