Fonio: what it is and nutritional properties
Fonio is one of the oldest cereals. Used widely in South-West Africa, it is also slowly arriving in Europe.
Along with millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, fonio begins to become known for its highly respected nutritional properties :
> it is gluten free, so it can be inserted without problems into the diet of people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance;
> has a low glycemic index, so it is suitable for those who suffer from diabetes;
> the good presence of B vitamins makes this food suitable for the vegan diet and in case of tiredness;
> it is rich in iron, perfect for anemic and vegan;
> has a high fiber content (in total absence of saponin), useful against intestinal motility disorders and when it is intended to adopt a detoxifying diet;
> L-meitonin is effective in cases of hepatic, renal fatigue and heavy metal poisoning; precursor also of the amino acid L-cysteine, beneficial for the health of nails and hair;
> has a good presence of minerals such as magnesium, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, zinc;
You can buy fonio, in grains or flour, on the internet and in major organic or ethnic food stores.
The fonio beans are very small, therefore the harvest has long and expensive processing times. However, modern technologies are allowing for easier collection and wider dissemination.
For now, the major producing countries are Senegal, Nigeria, Mali and the Ivory Coast ; the European Union has made marketing possible only recently.
So pay attention to the origin of this food, considering it is not the geography but also the ethics of the producers.
How to cook fonio: 3 simple recipes
Introducing the sound into the diet is simple and healthy. It can be used in place of other small cereals, such as millet or quinoa; as an alternative to couscous and semolina ; cooked and drained or in soups ; or even in the dough, in the form of flour .
Once cooked, the fonio becomes mellow, optimally lending the dough to gnocchi, meatballs and vegan burger.
It is necessary to shell it immediately after cooking if instead you want to use it in grains in recipes instead of rice.
Fonio pop corn
The recipe is very simple . Just toss the beans in a non-stick pan with a little oil.
It is a first step to become familiar with this food, to test its taste and also to prepare a healthy and fast snack.
You can add salt and spices to taste, such as curry or masala .
Poke bowl of fonio and edamame
The poke bowl is a simple bowl of cereals, vegetables and proteins.
The original recipe includes sushi rice and raw fish, but it can also be adapted to vegan palates by replacing rice with fonio or other cereals and fish with vegetable proteins from legumes and derivatives.
Ingredients
> 100 g of fonio in beans, to be cooked in more than twice as much as water;
> 30 g dry wakame seaweed;
> 80 g cooked edamame;
> chopped or sliced ginger;
> rice vinegar;
> tamari;
> extra virgin olive oil;
> two tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds.
Preparation
Clean the ginger from the peel, coarsely chop it or cut it into very thin slices. It is left to steep for a couple of hours in rice vinegar.
Then prepare the tamari dressing, the extra virgin olive oil and a little rice vinegar, mixing well with a hand whisk to mix the ingredients.
He puts everything aside to devote himself to cooking fonio . Rinse it off and put it in a saucepan with water and a little salt. It is left to boil for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, algae are found in the water . Once rehydrated (it takes about 10 minutes), drain and cut into thin strips, as if they were spaghetti.
They are dipped in an emulsion of rice vinegar and tamari for a few minutes, until the phonio is ready.
Once cooked, wipe the fonio with a fork, draining it if excess water is left, and place it on the bottom of the bowl. It is seasoned with the tamari sauce, oil and rice vinegar prepared at the beginning.
The bowl is divided into three parts, filling the first with the drained wakame spaghetti, the second with cooked edamame and the third with sliced ginger. At the end, sprinkle some tamari and add the sesame seeds to the rain.
Roman style gnocchi of fonio and curcuma
You can prepare very simple gnocchi alla romana using fonio.
In this recipe we add the turmeric to the mixture, to make them more colorful and tasty.
Ingredients for a small pan for 4 people
> 200 g of fonio in grains;
> 400 ml of water;
> half a cup of yeast;
> three tablespoons of vegetable cream;
> a teaspoon of turmeric powder;
> pepper;
> extra virgin olive oil;
> salt, a pinch.
Preparation
Cook the fonio in a pot with water and a pinch of salt, until it has absorbed almost all the cooking water. Add the turmeric and pepper and allow the remaining liquid to be absorbed.
It is then left to cool with the lid closed, so that it retains moisture and becomes mellow .
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce to make the gnocchi baked in the oven, using evo oil, almost all of the yeast and vegetable cream, mixing with a little salt.
Meanwhile, the sound will have cooled. It is spread on a work surface for a height of about 1 cm and, using a small pastry cutter or a cookie cutter, the gnocchi are made.
Place the circles in the baking pan lined with parchment paper, pour the cream prepared previously onto each of them, sprinkle with the yeast and bake at 170 degrees for 15 minutes .
