millet

millet

　　Millet

　　Millet is a monocotyledonous plant of the Poaceae family, an annual herbaceous crop that grows in northern regions and is drought-resistant. It has slender, pointed leaves with parallel leaf veins. The seeds, also called millet, are pale yellow. Once the husk is removed, they are commonly known as yellow rice, and when this is ground into flour, it is called yellow rice flour. This flour is sticky and is often used to make New Year cakes and brew liquor. In Yangyuan and Yu counties of Zhangjiakou, as well as in parts of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, it is also used to make yellow cakes and fried cakes. It is one of the important grain crops.

　　Millet contains a very high level of carbohydrates, which can produce a large amount of reducing sugar upon hydrolysis, making it suitable for making syrups and maltose. The outer husk of millet seeds comes in various colors such as brown (blackish-red), white, yellow, and gray. Through chemical processing, it can yield various pigments, serving as natural color additives in the food industry. Millet is also an excellent raw material for brewing. Liquor made from millet tends to have a high yield and a rich, mellow flavor. Yanglang Baijiu, produced in Yanglang Township, Guyuan County, Ningxia, is brewed using millet as the main ingredient.

　　Millet can be used to make beverages. The traditional Chinese medicinal yellow wine, commonly used in Chinese medicine, is made from millet. It contains a variety of amino acids and vitamins, offering high nutritional and medicinal value. According to tests, yellow wine contains 14 types of amino acids, with total acidity ranging from 1.24–1.5g/100ml and total sugar content between 21.5–124μg/100ml. With scientific improvements to traditional yellow wine production techniques, a series of nutritious and health-promoting yellow wine beverages can be developed.