March 5, 2015

• teff porridge with dates and honey

   

  cooking with teff

  1 cup	teff
  1 tbsp	butter unsalted
  1/4 tsp	cloves ground
  3 cups	water
  3/4 cup	dates diced
  1/4 tsp	sea salt
  3 tbsp	honey
  1/4 cup	walnut pieces
  some	milk or yogurt

  Heat a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Roast the teff 3-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains begin to pop.  Add water, butter, and cloves.  Stir.  Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes stirring.

  Stir in dates, salt, and honey.  Cover and cook 5-10 minutes until the teff is tender.  Add boiling water if needed to maintain porridge consistency.

  Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and top with walnuts, milk, and honey.  Makes 8 servings.

   
  what in the hell is teff?

  I know, right?

  Teff is a cereal grain that is gaining popularity among health-conscious hipsters.  A mountain plant of Ethiopia, it is cultivated at a height of 2,500 to 8,000 feet above sea level.  Teff seeds were found in the ruins of the Dassur Pyramid in Egypt, which dated back to about 3,359 BCE.  Teff is the most important crop in the Ethiopian highlands (formerly Abyssinia) and has grains so small that seven will fit onto the head of a pin.  In the Amharic language, "teff" means 'lost' and refers to the fact that many of the tiny seeds disappear when handled and cannot be found.  Because it is a major cereal crop of that region, teff is often called "Ethiopian millet".

  

  

  

  How does it taste?

  Bland, actually.  It's a good thing I mixed in all that honey, cloves, dates, butter, and walnuts.  But the tiny seeds are high in calcium, iron, protein and amino acids, and it is also gluten-free.  Teff actually has 50 percent more protein, five times the fiber, and 25 times more calcium than brown rice. [ MORE ]  It is low in sodium, low in fat, low in glycemic index, and it keeps you regular.  It has manganese, phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, thiamin, and vitamin C.  The iron is easily absorbed and recommended for people with low blood iron levels.

  It must be expensive.

  I bought 6 pounds of it via FedEx at $3.42/lb.  Not bad, huh?  Like quinoa, the grains expand with cooking.  My haul will last a long time.  God, I love online shopping.

  

   

   

   

  • 8:25 pm
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