So...Sorghum?

Sorghum is the Jan Brady of grains! And I'm not just saying that because I am the Jan Brady of my family (seriously, 3 boys, 3 girls, second girl....not bitter....not at all....Marcia, Marcia, Marcia...)

An older version of the Joy of Cooking, one that had recipes for squirrel stew (because, of course, squirrel!) only  mentioned sorghum syrup as a sweetener. And yet is it is the worlds 5th most important cereal crop.

It is calorie, protein and fiber dense. (Per 1 cup, 651 calories, 22g protein, 12g fiber and 47% of your RDA of Iron).  Which is why, in noodle form, it made the perfect fuel for my ultra-marathons. Oh and did I mention it's gluten free?
So yeah, let's give it the love it deserves.
It's texture is similar to millet and it's flavor aligns with buckwheat. And you can pop it! Gotta love that. (See Note)
It will make a strong base, ala rice, for stews, stir fries and vegetable entrées.

Basic Sorghum
Serves 4

• 1 cup Sorghum, rinsed (it carries a bit of grain dust about it, so rinsing it removes this)
• 4 cups Water or Broth

Bring the sorghum and water or broth to a boil over high heat.
Turn to  simmer, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve.
(I sautéed some onions and kale in olive oil which I mixed in with the cooked sorghum. And then topped it with a roasted portobello mushroom. Simple, healthy and filling.)

Note: I was using Red Sorghum, which seems to have a tougher exterior than regular Sorghum, I tried popping it several different ways, but those little suckers would not pop for me!