Millet Blini (Yeast Pancakes)

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make millet blini? Gather your ingredients. Milk of any fat content works. Pick over the millet, removing debris and any red unhulled grains. Wash the egg well — even a seemingly clean shell can carry harmful bacteria, so use a food-safe wash and a brush.

2. Step 2:

   

   Make the sponge (starter). Warm the milk and pour it into a bowl. Add half the sugar and the dry yeast and stir. Then add a spoonful of flour and whisk until smooth. Let the sponge rest 15–20 minutes — just enough time to cook the millet. It should bubble up and grow in volume.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cook the millet porridge. Pour hot water over the millet, let it sit 2–3 minutes, then rinse under the tap — this removes the bitterness millet can have. Cover the millet with water, add salt, and cook over low heat until thick, with all the liquid absorbed.

4. Step 4:

   

   Purée the hot porridge until smooth with an immersion blender.

5. Step 5:

   

   After 5–7 minutes, once the porridge has cooled a bit, crack in the raw egg. Stir it in with a spoon, or blend it in for speed.

6. Step 6:

   

   Transfer the millet porridge to a deep bowl, add a little salt and the rest of the sugar. Pour in the risen sponge and stir until smooth.

7. Step 7:

   

   Sift the flour and add it to the batter. Sifting aerates the flour, so the blini turn out airy and rise well.

8. Step 8:

   

   Stir the batter until smooth and lump-free. You may need more or less flour than listed — go by the consistency: it should be like thin sour cream that runs off a spoon. Cover the bowl with a towel and set it in a warm place for 30 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Heat a skillet and brush it with vegetable oil. Ladle batter into the center and swirl it to cover the whole surface. Cook the blini until golden on both sides, adjusting the heat so they brown fairly quickly without burning.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stack the finished blini on a plate or wooden board. Let them cool a little and serve with jam, condensed milk, and sour cream. Enjoy!