Somewhere between sweet and savory, this light granola has great crunch thanks to millet, a frequent add-in to “healthy” rice in Japan, and nutty soba cha, or Japanese roasted buckwheat tea. The addition of matcha both brings brightness and introduces umami, echoing and amplifying the savoriness of the grains. If you can’t find soba cha (buckwheat tea) made from Tartary buckwheat, you can also use ordinary buckwheat groats, but soba cha tends to have a smaller grain and a more pleasant crunch. (If using larger groats, mix them in with the rest of the ingredients and bake them in the oven, or they’ll be too hard.) Sprinkle this over roasted squash, generously buttered toast with honey, or simple bowls of rice—anything that could use some texture.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together the oats, millet, salt, olive oil, and maple syrup.
- Spread the mixture onto the sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping the sheets halfway through and stirring, until the oats are toasted to a golden color but are not yet brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before mixing in the buckwheat.
- Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a clean, dry bowl. Using a fine mesh strainer, dust the matcha over the granola, mixing to combine.
- Store in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks.
Katie Okamoto
Katie Okamoto is a writer and editor based in Los Angeles. Formerly, she was the senior editor at Metropolis, the architecture and design magazine, in New York City.