3/9 is a millet day. I attended the final of the millet contest organized by Japan Millet Association!Using foxtail millet and black rice, the theme was to cook the food which you can enjoy with your family at the table. 6 finalists were selected from applicants (certified people, professionals and amateurs). My recipe was "Black Sushi Rolls with Fruity Millet Tuna Curry" (left bottom image).
Unfortunately, what I received was the prize for participation, but the level of presentations were advanced, so I'm glad I could come to the final! (I received a millet book signed by the author - Hisao Nagayama, millet products and other cereal products.)Cereal grains were once a staple food alongside white rice in the Japanese diet. As rice came to predominate this diet after the Meiji Restoration (1868), however, the cultivation of cereal crops declined. But in light of today’s health-conscious lifestyles and emphasis on nutrition, those same cereal grains are beginning to reclaim consumer notice.
Japan Millet Association was established in 2004. Its members are associated with the production, processing and distribution of cereals and are active in promoting the benefits of cereal grains. The Millet Association has also established a scheme to certify those well-informed about grains and their cooking methods as “cereal sommeliers.” Thus the Japanese palate is evolving from mere appreciation of the nutritional value of cereal grains, to their greater—and more delicious—potential. (Zakkoku: Cereal Grains Return to Japan)
Thanks to their activities, we now eat millet more often than we used to without realizing it! Without a regret, I really enjoyed the contest!!! I will translate my award winning recipe when it is available online :D
Enjoy millet!
Please click below and vote for me.
