Millet Flatbread

Introduction: A simple flatbread made from millet flour, cooked on a hot griddle, using one of the two dominant staple cereals of the Mali Empire’s agricultural economy.

Cultural Background: Millet is directly and repeatedly documented as a chief crop of the Mali Empire, both in Ibn Battuta’s firsthand account of foods traded for along his route and in the broader agricultural record of the region; simple griddle-baked flatbreads made without yeast represent the technologically straightforward bread form supported by the basic cooking equipment of the period.

Tips: – Keep the flatbreads thin for even cooking; thick cakes may remain doughy in the centre. – Millet dough is naturally more crumbly than wheat dough; handle gently when shaping and transferring to the griddle.

Variations: – Naturally vegan as written. – A little shea butter worked into the dough gives a richer, slightly more tender flatbread.

Storage: Keeps wrapped at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Reheating: Warm briefly on a dry griddle for 1-2 minutes per side.

Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 175 kcal, 5 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fat, 4 g fibre.

FAQs:

Q: Is millet really the dominant Mali Empire grain?

A: It is directly and repeatedly documented as a chief crop of the Mali Empire, both in Ibn Battuta’s own firsthand account and in the broader agricultural record, alongside sorghum as the region’s two dominant staple cereals.

Q: Can sorghum flour be used instead?

A: Yes, sorghum is separately and equally well documented as a Mali Empire staple grain, and sorghum flour can be substituted for millet using the same basic method.