Millet “Polenta” Fries (corn free, soy free and gluten free)
Millet is an underrated grain. There’s a lot of fuss about brown rice and black rice and quinoa and oats and amaranth. I love all these grains! Millet isn’t always mentioned in lists of gluten free grains but it is super healthy and incredibly delicious. This recipe uses millet to produce polenta fries that are totally corn-free! Corn is delicious but it is also a really common allergen.
If you haven’t prepared millet before, you’ve probably seen it. Millet is a common ingredient in bird food! It’s also great for humans. It is full of iron, B vitamins, magnesium and fiber. It’s an environmentally sustainable grain. Check out this recent article from UN News for more information about the role millet can play as we navigate climate change and food security issues.
This recipe uses extra liquid to cook the millet down to a porridge. This spreads easily and is a great substitute for polenta. You can use use this millet polenta in any recipe that requires corn polenta. For a really delicious and guilt free snack, I highly recommend these fries. You can serve them with your favorite sauce. I like a simple marinara sauce or a vegan pesto!
Millet “Polenta” Fries
Ingredients
To prepare the millet:
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup millet, dry
To season the fries:
- 2 Tb. nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- olive oil for brushing
Instructions
Prepare the Millet Polenta:
- Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add the millet. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the millet from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- All broth should be absorbed by the millet.
- Pour the millet into a 9"X13" pan and spread it evenly.
- Cool the millet for 2 hours in the fridge.
Turn the millet into fries:
- Once cooled, you can flip the pan over to release the millet polenta. I like to do this onto a large cutting board.
- Cut the millet polenta into "fries." I slice the whole piece of polenta in half and then cut strips that are about 1/2" wide.
Season the fries:
- Lightly brush the fries with olive oil.
- Combine the nutritional yeast, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the polenta fries.
Cook the fries:
- Air fry the fries at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until they are crispy. Shake the fryer basket halfway through to keep the fries from sticking.
- If you don't have an air fryer, line a baking dish with parchment paper. Bake the seasoned polenta fries at 425 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until crispy. Use a spatula to flip them once halfway through.