Sorghum, a gluten-free grain high in protein, iron, and fiber, is gaining popularity as a substitute for wheat flour in baked goods. It has a smoother texture than other gluten-free flours but requires extra liquid and cornstarch to bind ingredients together. Sorghum flour is best stored in the fridge or freezer and is a natural choice for sweet breads and biscuits.
Sorghum, an African grain, isn’t new to the United States, but until recently it was considered suitable only for livestock. What was once added to animal feed is becoming increasingly popular in cereals, muffins and breads instead of or in addition to wheat flour. It’s relatively high in protein, iron and fiber, plus it’s gluten-free, it makes sorghum flour, which is called milo in some quarters, and jowar atta, welcome in pantries around the world.
Sufferers of the autoimmune disorder called celiac disease cannot digest the gluten proteins in oats, wheat or barley. Sorghum means they don’t have to ditch a stack of pancakes or toast. With twice the protein than white flour, triple the fiber and fewer calories, even diners who can handle gluten are asking for sorghum-based baked goods.
Some gluten flour substitutes like rice flour can add a gritty texture to cookies or bread. Bakers prefer sorghum’s smoother texture. Since nothing in this world is perfect, the trade-off is that sorghum flour can be a black hole for liquid. It’s drier than Uncle Bob’s sense of humor, James Bond martinis, and the pile of bones that marks the final resting place of a penitent who tried to shed his sin by trudging across the Atacama Desert.
The solution is to simply add extra liquid in the form of oil or egg. Gluten, which binds ingredients together, can be replaced by adding cornstarch to the batter or sorghum dough. To get sorghum flour-based treats to rise, a little baking powder usually does the trick.
Like other flours made from ground seeds or grains, sorghum naturally contains fat and doesn’t keep forever. It may keep in the pantry for a month or two, but bakers who expect to dip less often had better give it the cold shoulder. In the refrigerator, it’s fine for a few more months; in the freezer, it remains viable for a year and a half or more.
Due to its very mild flavour, sorghum flour is a natural choice for incorporating into sweet breads, biscuits or the like. It’s becoming increasingly available to the home cook, but thanks to its gluten-free personality, marketers have found that it will outsell far more than wheat flour. Savvy shoppers could head to an Indian market for jowar atta instead.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
