Breakfast Millet with Roasted Star Anise Plum Compote
Even in the summertime, it is sometimes pleasant to enjoy a warm breakfast dish. The dark purple of the aromatic spiced plum compote adds so much life to this light millet cereal. Millet comes as a small round grain but I mill it into a semi-fi ne powder in a coff ee grinder to give it that smooth and creamy texture reminiscent of Cream of Wheat. I cook the millet with coconut milk to add extra creaminess. P.S. The compote will last up to a week in the fridge and tastes great with yogurt and granola.
Ingredients
For the plum compote:
- 6–8 small firm purple plums
- 3 cardamom pods, cracked open
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole star anise
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon monk fruit sweetener
- Pinch salt
- 3 teaspoons avocado or olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon rose water (optional)
For the millet cereal:
- ½ cup millet
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
For the plum compote:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Halve and pit the plums, then cut on the vertical into half-moon slices. Place the plum slices into a medium baking dish. Top the plums with the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, star anise, coconut sugar, monk fruit and salt. Give the ingredients a quick stir and then drizzle with the oil. Place the dish on the oven’s middle rack and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3–4 minutes. If using, sprinkle the rose water onto the plums. Stir once, then remove the cardamom pods, star anise and cinnamon stick.
For the millet cereal:
- Mill the millet to a semi-fine powder in a clean coff ee grinder, high-speed blender or grain mill if you have one.
- Place the millet into a small saucepan over medium heat and toast while stirring constantly for about 2 minutes or until you see some of it turn a little brown. Reduce the flame to low, stir in the water and the coconut milk and allow the millet to cook for about 15 minutes. Stir periodically to make sure the bottom does not burn. When it reaches desired consistency, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and the salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the plum compote. Add optional chopped nuts, seeds or other toppings you might enjoy.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Getty-Oster is the founder and creator of AmalgamKitchen.com, a health food and holistic lifestyle blog. In the kitchen, she focuses on organic, locally sourced gluten- and refi ned-sugar-free recipes. From her home in Ojai, she enjoys cooking, gardening, meditation, photography, community, nature and family.
