There has been a major shift in people’s eating preferences in recent years. People are increasingly choosing nutrient-dense meals such as cereals, grains, seeds, and superfoods over all other options. Millets have endured the test of time and are well-known for their numerous health advantages. It is a traditional grain that has been farmed and consumed for over 5000 years on the Indian subcontinent. The key reason for this tough grain’s widespread popularity is that it requires less water and fertility than other grains or cereals.
Pearl millet (bajra) is the most common millet in the world, and it is widely grown in Africa and Southeast Asia. India is one of the world’s largest millet producers, accounting for 36% of global production. Millet comes in two varieties: naked grains and husked grains. Ragi, jowar, and bajra, the three most popular and important millets, are naked grains. This is due to the fact that they do not need to be processed after harvesting; they can simply be cleaned and used, which is why they are so popular. Foxtail, tiny, and kodo millet, on the other hand, are husked grains with an indigestible seed covering (husk) that must be removed before ingestion.
Millets’ nutrient profile alone is reason enough to include them in your diet. Millets are gluten-free and quickly digested, as well as being high in fibre, copper, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. These take a long time to digest and do not cause blood sugar levels to surge, making them ideal for diabetics. Millets have a distinct flavour that enhances the flavour of any food, in addition to their numerous health benefits. Major millets like ragi, bajra, and jowar are now being utilised to make hearty snacks and meals like bajra tarts, khichdi, and ragi dosas, thanks to a slew of recent culinary inventions.
Here are seven of the best millet recipes you can make at home:
1. Millet Bhel Puri
Mixed Millet Bhel Puri with the healthiness of ragi, peanuts, amaranth, and a combination of millets blended with potatoes, tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, and chilies, this bhel puri recipe is low in fat and light on the stomach. This millet meal is spiced up with chaat masala, moringa powder, and green chutney, and it’s the perfect snack to nibble on.
2. Burger with Kodo Millet
What if you could eat a burger without feeling guilty? Here’s a burger recipe that will assist you in doing just that! The kodo millet burger is stuffed with a patty made with ground kodo millet, watermelon seeds, basil, parsley, coriander, mustard, and cumin, and served with a zesty chickpea hummus, lettuce, and a delicious tomato salsa on the side.
3. Tartlets of Bajra with Fruit Custard
These tartlets have a mixture of bajra flour, wheat flour, sugar, and salt baked to perfection in tarts and served beneath a pool of exquisite fruit custard and decorated with kiwi slices and honey, making them a delectable sweet treat with the goodness of bajra.
4. Wheat Ragi Dosa
Nobody can resist a light and crispy dosa, a South Indian dish! Here’s how to make a dosa using only four ingredients. A thick batter is made using ragi and wheat flour, buttermilk, and salt, then cooked in a non-stick pan. It’s a delicious and healthy breakfast or lunch alternative that you can make at home.
5.Medley of Jowar
This millet meal is packed with vegetables, flavorful spices, chilies, and the healthiness of jowar seeds, plus it’s cooked in rice bran oil, which is one of the healthiest cooking oils. Rice bran oil, which is high in Vitamin E, is ideal for usage at home. The jowar medley contains vegetables such as baby corn, zucchini, and pepper, as well as boiling jowar seeds, and is ideal for snacking in the middle of the day when you need a boost of energy.
6. Porridge made with foxtail millet
Porridge is a delicious breakfast option that you can make at home. It’s simple, quick, light, and nutrient-dense. Here’s a porridge recipe that includes foxtail millet for added nutrition. Foxtail millet, which is high in iron, minerals, proteins, and fibre, is soaked and combined with milk, cashews, banana, figs, amaranth, and lotus seeds to make a delectable porridge.
7. Ragi Chakli (Baked Ragi Chakli)
Chakli is a popular Indian snack also known as murukku, which translates to ‘twisted’ for the shape of this enticing snack. It’s a crispy savoury snack to combine with a hot cup of tea. With ragi flour, you may make a healthier version of chakli. Make these ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container to enjoy for a long time.