Kitchen Recipe Collection
Miancha (Millet Porridge with Sesame Paste)
A traditional Beijing winter breakfast. A thick, warming porridge made from toasted millet flour, drizzled generously with rich, savory sesame paste.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- 1/2 cup millet flour
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (Zhi Ma Jiang)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (or water, to thin paste)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or sugar, depending on preference)
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Equipment
- Dry skillet
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Instructions
- 1
Toast Millet Flour
In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the millet flour for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant and slightly golden.
- 2
Toast Sesame Seeds
If your sesame seeds are raw, toast them briefly in a dry pan.
- 3
Prepare Sesame Paste
In a small bowl, whisk the thick sesame paste with a little sesame oil or warm water until it reaches a drizzleable consistency.
- 4
Mix Flour with Cold Water
In a bowl, mix the toasted millet flour with 1/2 cup of cold water into a smooth paste. Do not use hot water or it will clump.
- 5
Boil Water
Bring the remaining 1.5 cups of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan.
- 6
Stir Batter into Boiling Water
Slowly pour the millet flour paste into the boiling water while whisking vigorously.
- 7
Simmer and Stir
Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly as the porridge thickens rapidly.
- 8
Season
Stir in the salt (for the traditional savory version) or sugar (for a sweeter version).
- 9
Achieve Consistency
The porridge should be quite thick, almost like a hot pudding.
- 10
Pour into Bowls
Ladle the thick millet porridge into serving bowls.
- 11
Drizzle Sesame Paste
Drizzle the thinned sesame paste generously over the surface of the porridge.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. To eat traditionally, do not stir it; sip the porridge from the edge of the bowl, getting a bit of sesame paste in every bite.
Cooking Tips
- Mixing the toasted flour with cold water first is crucial to prevent lumps when it hits the boiling water.
- Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds, giving it a much deeper, nuttier flavor than Middle Eastern tahini (which uses raw seeds).
Variations
- Sweet Miancha: Use sugar instead of salt, and add a sprinkle of crushed peanuts on top.
Nutrition Estimate
250 calories · 7g protein · 30g carbs · 12g fat · 4g fiber per serving
