The Power Grain

kirabusiness0419
Aug 1, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Aug 5, 2024

Starting with our new adventure in the culinary world we move forward to understanding the food that we eat and with that comes the understanding of how our food is grown, processed and cooked. Basic food knowledge is what gives us chefs the right to boss our family members around in the kitchen and I'm here to help you become the bossy boots everyone will love at your next family dinner.

I wanted to start with a powerhouse ingredient that holds so much potential in our everyday diet. Sorghum, I believe, is one of the most underrated grains that not only keeps our bodies healthy and strong but also holds such a strong sustainable stance. Sorghum is a cereal grain that is indigenous to Africa and was domesticated in Africa around 8000 BCE. The cultivation of this crop had occured in Egypt and started it's traveling journey to the Middle East on the silk route. This power grain had many different names. "Great millet" is what communities in Africa called it, "Egyptian wheat" is what communities called the grain in the Middle East and in Asia, it was known as the "Indian millet".

What I found so incredibly interesting about this grain was the farming of this grain. This grain ripens just under 120 days due to the plants fast photosynthesis cycle, yielding the same amount of crop when compared to maize, in about half the time. The sorghum plant can adjust to it's surrounding climate easily, making it uncomplicated to grow in any weather condition, leaving this crop to grow anywhere in the world. This grain can be used to fight against famine in so many communities due to its adaptability. With the plant not needing as much water, means that this grain is more sustainable to grow. In the US there are 3 types of sorghum which are the grain, the forage and the sweet sorghum. This grain has become familiar all over the world and is now being grown in 66 different countries and the US being the largest producer.

As I said before, the nutritional value of this grain is extremely beneficial. Just reading about the nutritional value made me feel as if I can lift a train after eating the grain. This grain does carry similar nutritional value as maize however is higher in protein and starch with less fat. The grain is high in iron and potassium for anyone with an iron deficiency (you're welcome) and also carries nutrients such as vitamins B1 and B3. This grain is a super food ! It helps with body digestion, it is known to boost your energy and improves your bone health.

Sorghum is a blank canvas to cook with and there are many different forms that this grain comes in. You can cook it whole as one would with rice. It comes in a flour form which one could use to make a gluten free pasta or bread. The grain can be malted or fermented and can be fried like popcorn. From sorghum you could make flat breads, porridge, dolo (which is a traditional African beer) and you can make salad dressings.