Millet Porridge with Black-Eyed Pea Patties Recipe

Black-eyed peas and spices are blended into patties, pan-fried and served with millet porridge in this adaptation of Ghana’s traditional dishes koose and kooko.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus overnight soaking
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup millet
2 cups canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅓ cup onion, chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup cabbage, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons (42 milliliters) vegetable or canola oil, divided
3 pieces fresh ginger, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon jalapeño, chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. Place millet in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight in refrigerator.
2. In a blender or food processor, add black-eyed peas, red pepper flakes, onion, egg and salt and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, add cabbage and mix well.
3. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop and pour batter into skillet, making 4 patties.
4. Cook 3 minutes, then flip and cook 3 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove patties from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and repeat until batter is gone, making 12 patties.
6. Drain and rinse millet in a sieve.
7. To a blender add millet, 1 cup water, ginger, jalapeño, black peppercorns and ground cloves. Process until smooth.
8. Strain mixture into a bowl through a sieve.
9. In a small pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add millet mixture, lower to simmer and whisk constantly for 5 minutes to prevent lumps from forming.
10. Serve ½ cup porridge with 2 black-eyed pea patties.

Cooking Note

Use habanero or a spicier pepper in place of jalapeño, if preferred. Millet porridge may thicken as it rests. To thin out, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk to desired consistency.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6
Serving Size: 2 patties with ½ cup porridge (294 grams)

253 calories, 10g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 31mg cholesterol, 576mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 1g sugar, 8g protein, 230mg potassium, 158mg phosphorus

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Nutrition Magazine^®, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.