Name: Amaranth porridge with pear and cinnamon-spiced sunflower seeds
Yield: Serves 5–6
Ingredients: 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting; 4 tbsp sunflower seeds; 370 ml (1½ cups) water; 250 ml (1 cup) full-fat coconut milk; 2 medium pears, peeled and chopped into 2.5 cm (1in) chunks (about 150g/½ cups); 1 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp ground turmeric; pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 125 g (1 cup) amaranth flakes (or whole amaranth seeds, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained); 1½ tbsp maple syrup or jaggery; handful of dried cranberries or sour cherries (optional); 1.5 cm (¾ in) piece of fresh ginger, grated, or 1½ tsp ground ginger; 1 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil; 2 cardamom pods, cracked

Preparation info

Serves
5–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

East by West

By Jasmine Hemsley

Published 2017

About

I love amaranth seeds but they can be a bit tricky for digestion – the little seeds are so tiny that unless you chew them really thoroughly they can pass straight through you, making them an expensive waste of goodness that can also upset your gut! Amaranth flakes totally solve the problem and are also quicker to cook. Much like a rolled oat, the flakes have been broken down and flattened, thereby killing off some of the antinutrients and allowing the amaranth to be digested more easily. If