Xiao Mi Zhou

MEGA BLOGGING MARATHON -APRIL 2018

#87 BLOGGING MARATHON

THEME: EXPLORE THE FLAVORS – INTERNATIONAL BREAKFAST

DAY 24

“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a Pauper”

Finally it’s the day when I’ve come to the most difficult letter and that is X. Till 10 days ago I was still searching for a traditional breakfast recipe. Googling for foods beginning with X was not fruitful. Then I decided to try the other way round, googling for foods from each country. The only logic I used to google China was that is perhaps one of the few languages where X is used extensively. And hey presto like magic Xiao Mi Zhou appeared.

Xiao Mi Zhou is a millet porridge that is common in the Chinese Cuisine and is served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Its made from Foxtail Millet or what is also known as Italian millet, thinai in Tamil, kangi in Hindi and korra in Telugu. The porridge can be thick or thin, cold or hot, sweet or savory. If you like it sweet add some milk and sugar. A savory one can be served with some tofu, small pieces of meat, scrambled eggs or with a few vegetables. It all depends on which meal you’re serving this porridge for.

On its own the porridge can be pretty bland as I made the savory one. I’m trying to include sprouted beans or moong for breakfast so adding it to this porridge was ideal. I didn’t cook the sprouts, just added them to the hot porridge. Its a filling dish and healthy too.

Here’s my breakfast dish with letter X – Xiao Mi Zhou from CHINA. Wondering what I had in mind if I had not found a dish beginning with X? Well would have had to use Xtra word to make energy balls.

XIAO MI ZHOU

Serves 2

Recipe source: The Worktop

¼ cup foxtail millet

2-3 cups water

¼ -½ tsp salt

½ -1 cup sprouted beans (sprouted moong)

1. Rinse the millet thoroughly. To do that, put the millet in a strainer or sieve with a fine mesh. Rinse it under running water.
2. Add millet and water into a saucepan.
3. Bring it to a boil  over medium heat.
4. When it begins to boil reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes till the millet is cooked.
5. Add salt.
6. If you want a thicker porridge, let it simmer more.
7. Pour the porridge into serving bowls.
8. Top with sprouted beans and serve.

Tips:

• To add a bit of spice add some chili sauce.
• Add any topping of your choice like vegetables, cooked meat or fish pieces, scrambled or boiled egg, tofu, sugar and milk for a sweet version.
• On cooling the porridge becomes really thick. Add some more water or milk.

A – Z Breakfast Dishes:

A – Apple Aeblskiver – Denmark

B – Baghrir – Morocco

C – Changua – Colombia

D – Dutch baby Pancakes – Germany /USA

E – English Breakfast – England

F – French Toast – Canada

G – Griddle/Girdle Scones – Scotland

H – Hafragrautur – Iceland

I – Idiyappam – India

J – Johnnycakes – The Caribbean

K – Khabees – Bahrain

L – Lahooh/Lahoh – Somalia

M – Masoub – Yemen

N – Nasi Goreng – Indonesia

O – Oladushki – Russia

P – Pandesal – The Philippines

Q – Qistibi – Tatarstan and Bashkortostan

R – Red Rice Porridge – Bhutan

S – Suafa’i – Samoa

T – Tomato Omelette – Armenia

U – Uji – Kenya

V – Vary Sosoa – Madagascar

W – Welsh Rarebit – Wales

Check out what other Mega Blogging Marathoners have made for Day 24:

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