One of the greatest Bulgarian politicians of the last century, Atanas Burov (1875-1954), once said: "Each man must possess a piece of land, next to his village or city, in order to feel it as his own and to love it.... In times of difficulties or crises, this land will feed him and his family”. In fact, we do not necessarily have to go through a disaster to realise the need for respect for land. That land is not only a source of food but also our teacher in useful habits, such as hard work and perseverance, which can be developed from early childhood. Following the advice of this great Bulgarian statesman, somewhat intuitively, we from Botanica life Fondation, also have our piecece of land, which we care for with respect. This place has become a centre of attraction for exchange of knowledge for people from different ages and many voluntary actions. Along with the variety of fruits and vegetables we grow, the sugar sorghum has an important place in our garden.

The sorghum has many colloquial names in Bulgarian (such as “metla” or “kamush”, etc.), and is a tropical plant which belongs to the Poaceae family. It has a strong root system which explains its good resistance to drought. The stem and the leaves are covered with wax coating. The inflorescence is compact. The plant has its origins in Africa from where  it was transferred to southern Europe. Sorghum is rich in a variety of nutrients, including B vitamins which play an essential role in metabolism, also supporting the good functioning of the nervous system, the skin, and hair growth. It is a rich source of magnesium - a mineral that is important for bone formation and health of the heart. In addition, sorghum is high in antioxidants such as flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins. A diet rich in these antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Additional uses of sorghum include making, straw roofs, fences, baskets and brushes for everyday life. Some types of fuel can also be made.

Sorghum cultivation in Bulgaria

Although not widespread in Bulgaria, sorghum has been known for a long time. Almost at the same time, around in the middle of the 19th century, sugar sorghum and technical sorghum were imported into Bulgaria. Sugar sorghum was grown mainly for the production of sugar syrup and sugar sorghum treacle (in Bulgarian “madzun”). The technical sorghum, which was called „metla“ in the past, was grown as cultivated plant for making brooms and brushes. The grain was used for birds food as well as for making fodder for farm animals.

Culinary uses of sorghum

Thanks to its impressive nutritional profile, the interest in sorghum as a type of food for humans is growing. Sorghum grains can be cooked like quinoa or rice, ground into flour or prepared like popcorn. For those, looking for gluten-free grain, sorghum is a good option. In general, you can replace flower, containing gluten, with sorghum flour (gluten free)  in baked goods, such as bread, cookies or other desserts.

Sorghum can be easily used in a variety of healthy recipes. Here are just a few which you can explore:

• You can cook whole grain and pearl sorghum in the same way as you cook rice and quinoa.

• Ground sorghum flour. Due to its neutral taste and light color, it can easily be served as a gluten-free flour in most recipes.

• Popcorn. Add the seeds to a heated pan and watch them pop like popcorn. Add spices for extra flavor.

• Sorghum flakes. Like other cereals (e.g. oats), sorghum is delicious in baked sweets, such as cookies.

• Syrup. Sorghum syrup is usually added to processed foods as a natural sweetener or molasses alternative.

Madzun (treacle) from sugar sorghum or how we prepare it in GUEST HOUSE "BOTANICA"

Harvesting begins with cutting the stems from the base. For convenience, you can use a hand mower but a  sickle can also be used for manual cutting. The well-ripened seeds from the top, which are black in color, are separated with the help of a knife or vine scissors. Some of the seeds we use for planting new sorghum plants next year, and the rest are stored for making flour and popcorn. The seeds, which are not well ripened are with yellow-white color. These we use to make tea which is very useful for the good functioning of the lungs. Then, with a knife, or by hand, we remove the leaves from the stems. After removing the leaves, the stems are ready to be processed. We use a machine, specially designed for this purpose.  The stems are passed through rollers, powered by an electric motor. The juice obtained from the stems is the raw material from which we make the sugar sorghum treacle. This is followed by a boiling process which can take up to eight hours. After the boiling starts, the juice forms a foam which must be removed periodically. As soon as the liquid begins to evaporate, we begin to stir with a small wooden shovel. After reaching a certain density, we must stir constantly to prevent the substance from sticking to the container. When the juice has evaporated enough, its density resembles honey. Then the product is ready and can be filled into jars without being sterilised.

Big thanks must go to all restless volunteers and students who help us every year with harvesting the sorghum and making treacle. You are more than welcome to join us for the preparation of madzhun(usually in October) or to try our homemade pancakes at "BOTANICA" GUEST HOUSE, sweetened with a spoon of madzhun!

Sources:

Пророчествата на известния банкер и политик от миналото Атанас Буров, Анализи (06.05.2020), www.trud.bg, accessed on 29.10.2021 (in Bulgarian)

Сорго, Метла, Мътлар, Татар, Метлина, Цирък (от 20.09 2012), https://medpedia.framar.bg, accessed on 29.10.2021 (in Bulgarian)