Much is being written about how millets have somewhere gone missing from, and why we need to reintroduce them, into our diet. In fact, ParentEdge carried a really informative article ‘Discover the goodness of millets’ in its Nov-Dec 2013 issue.
I have been experimenting with millets for some time now and I thought I’d share some of my experiences. Having settled down in Bangalore, we were introduced to the benefits of ragi more than 15 years back. Jowar, a commonly used grain in North Karnataka, entered our diets as jolada rottis (difficult to make I must warn because it is gluten free!) later. More recently, I have incorporated bajra through khichdis (very easy to make). However, after reading the article in Parentedge and realizing their many benefits, I have started incorporating millets into the menu at home more consciously. And in this post, I’m sharing some simple millet-based recipes which taste pretty good, and are easy to make.
Samai/ Sama/ Moriya Dosa/Idli
Samai or little millet is an astonishing source of iron (something I learnt from the ParentEdge article). Its other advantage: it looks good (unlike other millets). In fact, idlis made from little millets look and taste no different from rice based idlis.
To make samai idli, just substitute rice with samai. So you soak 3 measures of samai and 1 measure of urad dal, grind and leave to ferment overnight. Adding a few methi seeds makes the idlis softer.
Another couple of ways to use samai- make khichdi- like the sabudana khichdi- soak samai in water for about half an hour. Allow cumin seeds to splutter in some oil, add ginger, green chillies, haldi powder add the little millets, water and salt and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked. You can garnish with roasted peanuts, coriander leaves.
Samai can also be made into dal based khichdis or simply used to substitute rice in a meal.
Bajra (Kambu/ Pearl Millet) Khichdi
Being a die-hard fan of the late Tarla Dalal, I came across this recipe first in her book on Rajasthani cooking. Easy to make and pretty tasty too, I have altered the proportion of bajra and dal to suit our tatses. Coarsely grind bajra in a mixer, add moong dal in proportions that can vary from 3:1 to 1:1 ( I use 1:1). Combine the cleaned bajra and dal, add around 3 or 3 ½ measures of water (the millets need more water to cook), salt to taste and pressure cook. Once done, splutter jeera, hing , green chillies and curry leaves in some ghee and add to the cooked khichdi. Mix well and serve hot. Bajra khichdi tastes good with kadhi.
Bajra rotis, being gluten free, may need some patience and experience to get them right. I make them small and, rather than roll, use my palms to flatten into small, thick rotis. You can also try making small puri sized bajra aloo rotis (embellished with some masala like coriander, chillies, jeera powder and haldi.
Thinai / foxtail millet adai
Thinai is loaded with fibre (all millets are, but this one even more!). The small brown grains can be used to substitute as a rice substitute in the traditional south indian recipe – Adai ( dal+rice dosa). The addition of thinai makes the adai crisper and like with all millets, enhances the taste.
I have also tasted yummy foxtail millet (and ragi) cookies though I have not tried them myself.
Thinai pongal or South Indian version of Khichidi is also widely recommended- but please remember to soak the thiniai for at least 3-4 hours else the grain retains its crispy texture which does not work very well for pongal.
Millet dosa
This is easy- just add any millet you like- bajra, ragi, samai, thinai together ( you can also add a bit of rice if you wish- if you do use rice, try using red rice). Combine the millet mix and urad dal in the same 3:1 ratio. Throw in a couple of teaspoons of methi seeds- soak for 6 hours or so, grind with salt to taste, leave overnight. Make it like regular dosa.
For ragi dosa, you can sprout ragi (takes a few days) and use instead of rice. Tastes good, but use it within 1-2 days- it ferments quicker than rice dosa dough.
Ragi/ finger millet Rotti
A traditional recipe of my adopted state Karnataka, it is as an easy to make and delicious breakfast. The ingredients include ragi flour, finely chopped onions, chopped coriander, finely chopped green chillies, grated coconuts and salt to taste. Add the masala to ragi flour and add water sparingly to make stiff yet soft dough. Divide dough into small balls- pat into round roti like shapes on a nonstick tawa. Add some oil and cook both sides. Serve hot.
So, there you have it- some simple ways to add the goodness of millets to your diet. Do try, add your variations and share your experiences!