Place the millet in a sieve and rinse well with cool water. After that, you can either start by toasting the millet if you want a deeper, roastier flavor to the finished dish or skip that step. If you want to toast it, place the rinsed millet in a wide-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the millet turns golden brown and starts to smell fragrant. Then add the water or broth, salt, and butter. Or simply combine the liquid with the millet, butter, and salt in a saucepan.
Give the mixture a good stir and turn the heat up to high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid stays at a simmer and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed, keeping the pot covered until you start checking towards the end of the cooking time. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, with the cover still on, for 10 more minutes.
Remove the cover and fluff the millet with a fork, much like you would fluff rice. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
Like all grains and cereals, millet should be dry and free of any mold or moisture. If you can, give it a sniff. If it smells rancid, musky, earthy, or looks moist, do not buy it. Millet can be found with the other whole grains in the market.