Sorghum

Sorghum is a cereal grass with broad corn-like leaves and large clusters of grain atop tall stalks.
It is believed that sorghum originated in Africa, where it is an important food grain and an ingredient in beer. Worldwide, it is the third largest food grain.
Grain sorghum is a staple cereal in hot dry tropics.
Sorghum molasses was a favorite sweetener, particularly in the South, during the 1800s and early 1900s. Around the end of World War I refined sugar products became more readily available and less expensive, thus causing a decline in the use of sorghum as a sweetener. Due to its content in calcium and potassium, it has more nutritive value than many other sweeteners.

Forms of Sorghum

  • Whole berries
  • Pearled grain
  • Sorghum syrup: the cane is pressed to extract the juice then boiled down and evaporated to create a rich, golden syrup.
  • Flour

Basic Cooking Instruction
Sorghum can be used like rice.
The flour is used for bread or bakeries.

Composition

100 g of raw sorgho provide
Proteins 11.5 g
Fats 3.3 g
Carbohydrates 75 g
Fibre 1.5 g
Main Nutrients
Calcium 28 mg
Iron 4.4 mg
Potassium 350 mg
Phosphorus 287 mg
Thiamine 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.14 mg
Niacin 3 mg

Recipe

Mixed grains stew
100 g wheat
100 g sorghum
50 g oats, rice or barley
500 ml of water
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 carrot sliced
1 celery stalk sliced
200 ml soymilk
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
Clean and soak grains overnight in 4 cups liquid.
Boil grains in the water they were soaked in for 45 minutes.
Sauté onion in oil, and add carrot and celery.
Cook until soft.
Cook and cover 10 minutes.
Add vegetables, soymilk and seasonings to grain.
Cook and cover 10 minutes.
Serve hot.


Realized by Laurence LIVERNAIS-SAETTEL, dietitian
© Copyright L. Livernais-Saettel 2002
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