Grilled Millet and Butternut Squash Cakes (B)

October 12, 2006 at 9:06 am (B_minus (2.5 stars), Grains, Rebecca Wood)

This recipe is from Rebecca Wood’s The Splendid Grain.

Toast over high heat until the first seed pops:

• 1 cup millet

then wash, drain and set aside (I skipped the washing step).

Toast for 1 minute, or until aromatic:

• 1 tsp. mustard seeds (change to 1 Tbs?)
• 1 tsp. curry powder (change to 2 tsp.?)

Combine in a medium saucepan the millet and spices, and:

• 2.5 cups water
• 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger (change to 1 Tbs?)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the millet has absorbed all the water. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Preheat the grill. Add to the millet mixture:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (increase to 3/4 cup?)

Wet your hands and blend the millet mixture to a fairly uniform consistency. Form into 12 cakes. Place on the grill and grill for about 3 minutes on each side until golden. Serve hot.

My Notes

I liked the texture and flavor of these “cakes”, but the flavor is very mild (my coworker snagged one then claimed they tasted like rice cakes). My favorite part was the outside, crispy, browned part. Wood says to grill them or pan-fry, but I baked them on a sprayed cookie sheet. I think if I was going to make this again I’d up all the seasonings a bit. Nonetheless, they’re very low calorie and make a pretty satisfying and healthy snack.

Rating: B

Nutrition Info for 1 Patty (with original ingredients):
Calories 67
Total Fat 1.4g
Saturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 99mg
Carbohydrate 14.4g
Dietary Fiber 1.1g
Sugars 0.6g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 60% Vitamin C 7%
Calcium 1% Iron 8%