Beetroot anise millet risotto with warm green salad
Millet is one of my favourite grains. It contains more vitamins, minerals and protein than rice, and has a mellower flavour than quinoa, but you can use it in much the same way as you would the other grains. Its cheaper price tag also wins a place in my heart! The roasted beetroot adds another level of indulgence to this deliciously warming risotto. This is a very Kapha-friendly recipe – great for winter when you want to feel warm and hibernate, but don’t want to feel too sluggish.
This risotto also works well with a warm green salad. Digesting raw salad can be tricky, but when heated the food starts to break down, allowing us to digest it more easily. I also love how heated salad greens take on a whole new flavour profile, too: bitter edges get rounded out and nuttiness is amplified.
If you’re lazy about chopping beetroot you can always use a food processor to grate it, or if your oven is on, you can bake or roast it in the oven to get a head start. Another tip is to pour half the stock into the pan and let it simmer away with an occasional stir. It’s the last stage of cooking that’s important to get the perfect texture for you, whether you prefer a wet risotto or a dry one.
Serves 3–4
450g beetroot, peeled and cubed
1 litre (4 cups) bouillon stock or bone broth (see here)
250ml (1 cup) water
3 tsp fennel seeds, plus 1 tsp extra to decorate
3 tbsp ghee
1 small white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
200g (1 cup) millet, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
25g (¼cup) grated Parmesan (optional)
FOR THE WARM GREEN SALAD
1 tbsp ghee
1 shallot or ½ leek, sliced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ head of red chicory, leaves separated
3 handfuls of mixed greens (such as spinach, romaine and rocket)
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 Place the beetroot in a saucepan with the stock and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until tender.
2 Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, dry-toast 1 teaspoon of the fennel seeds until fragrant (be careful not to burn them) and set aside.
3 In the same saucepan, melt the ghee and sauté the remaining 3 teaspoons of fennel seeds for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Rinse and drain the millet, then add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes – making sure that you keep stirring.
4 Add 500ml (2 cups) of the beetroot stock and simmer. Stir occasionally. When most of the stock has been absorbed, add as much stock as needed, a ladleful at a time. Cook, stirring often, for about 12 minutes or until the millet is well cooked.
5 Meanwhile, make the salad. The key here is to barely wilt it. Add the ghee to a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Mix in the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper, and cook for a further minute. Add the chicory and mixed green leaves and toss with tongs. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing the whole time.
6 Season the risotto, if needed, making sure to taste it first as bouillon stocks are already well seasoned. Stir through the beetroot cubes from the stock and the Parmesan, if using, and serve with the warm green salad.
FEELING
VATA
Enjoy more of a wet texture. Add plenty of extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with a little salad. Stick to rice or soaked well-cooked oat groats.
FEELING
PITTA
Make this with asparagus or broccoli and barley or rice.
FEELING
KAPHA
Serve with more salad and add a little homemade chilli oil if you like. Enjoy more of a dry risotto texture.
