How to Make Millet Flour Pellets from Millet Flour
Harvest African millet from the field., Hand-process the millet flour., Set aside a portion of dry millet flour to be added back in as the pellets form, to keep them from sticking. , Dribble water into the millet flour., Choose the pellet size...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Harvest African millet from the field.
First, separate the seeds from the stalks (usually by hand-beating with sticks).
Then collect the seeds and either pound them with the large mortar and pestle or process then through a hulling machine in order to remove the hard outer hull.
Then, either hand-grind with stones or process again through a grinding mill to produce flour.
Sift the flour to remove debris.
This is the flour that will be turned into millet pellets through a process of dampening and hand-working, which can then be cooked in recipes (the pellet process follows).
A side-by-side comparison of the similar-sized un-milled, milled and rolled millet pellets shows the difference.
Side-by-side, you'll see that it is obvious that the un-milled seeds have a darker color than the hulled seeds. -
Step 2: Hand-process the millet flour.
Set out two large bowls, (traditionally calabash gourds), a generous cup of water and a spoon or other hard edge as available for scraping the sides of the bowl as flour accumulates. ,, Work it through the flour to spread the dampness. Scoop and turn your hand through the flour; doing this automatically forms the pellets. Add water and dry flour alternately, to dampen all of the flour. , The millet flour develops a variety of pellet sizes.
Millet couscous is a steamed recipe, requiring smaller pellets, but boiled porridges require larger pellets because they are less likely to disintegrate during the boiling process.
The process of dampening, breaking up clumps and adding dry flour to keep the formed pellets from sticking must be repeated until all the millet flour has been converted to uniformly-sized millet-flour pellets. , During this process, the millet flour will adhere to the calabash gourd walls, so scrape this off. Note:
Metal bowls usually do not develop a build-up. , In this case, only one size of pellet is required, so there are no sifting steps required. This process has produced in less than one hour of steady hand-working, about 5 kg of millet flour pellets suitable for a popular West African millet porridge.
These millet pellets are ready to be sent to the kitchen to boil, put in the refrigerator (up to a week) or frozen for use some other day. -
Step 3: Set aside a portion of dry millet flour to be added back in as the pellets form
-
Step 4: to keep them from sticking.
-
Step 5: Dribble water into the millet flour.
-
Step 6: Choose the pellet size needed.
-
Step 7: Scrape off flour from the bowl edges.
-
Step 8: Finish up and make use of the millet pellets.
Detailed Guide
First, separate the seeds from the stalks (usually by hand-beating with sticks).
Then collect the seeds and either pound them with the large mortar and pestle or process then through a hulling machine in order to remove the hard outer hull.
Then, either hand-grind with stones or process again through a grinding mill to produce flour.
Sift the flour to remove debris.
This is the flour that will be turned into millet pellets through a process of dampening and hand-working, which can then be cooked in recipes (the pellet process follows).
A side-by-side comparison of the similar-sized un-milled, milled and rolled millet pellets shows the difference.
Side-by-side, you'll see that it is obvious that the un-milled seeds have a darker color than the hulled seeds.
Set out two large bowls, (traditionally calabash gourds), a generous cup of water and a spoon or other hard edge as available for scraping the sides of the bowl as flour accumulates. ,, Work it through the flour to spread the dampness. Scoop and turn your hand through the flour; doing this automatically forms the pellets. Add water and dry flour alternately, to dampen all of the flour. , The millet flour develops a variety of pellet sizes.
Millet couscous is a steamed recipe, requiring smaller pellets, but boiled porridges require larger pellets because they are less likely to disintegrate during the boiling process.
The process of dampening, breaking up clumps and adding dry flour to keep the formed pellets from sticking must be repeated until all the millet flour has been converted to uniformly-sized millet-flour pellets. , During this process, the millet flour will adhere to the calabash gourd walls, so scrape this off. Note:
Metal bowls usually do not develop a build-up. , In this case, only one size of pellet is required, so there are no sifting steps required. This process has produced in less than one hour of steady hand-working, about 5 kg of millet flour pellets suitable for a popular West African millet porridge.
These millet pellets are ready to be sent to the kitchen to boil, put in the refrigerator (up to a week) or frozen for use some other day.
About the Author
Lisa West
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: