Welcome to the world of millets! These days, we are hearing a lot about millets and whole grains being the new superfoods. While some consider the fascination with millets and whole grains to be a passing fad, the truth is, they are here to stay. Our obsession for refined wheat and rice brings with it many health risks and it is time to think of millets as an alternative. If you rave over rice but crave complex carbs, then the mighty millet is a perfect option to satisfy your stomach. Here are some amazing millet dishes that are both nutritious and delicious and sure to leave you wanting more. From super savory salads to scrumptious meals to sweet surprises, millets will become your go-to ingredient. Awaken the foodie in you with these tasty, delicious, and highly nutritious millet recipes.
Millet Dosa
Get ready to have a tasty breakfast with this healthy Millet Dosa. This is a very tempting recipe for breakfast and brunch. We’re sure this has been and will be in everyone’s must-have list.
Ingredients:
Little millet grain (Samai) – 1 cup
Black gram dal – ½ cup
Puffed rice – ½ cup
Fenugreek seeds – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Process:
1) To prepare this South Indian indispensable dish, firstly, soak the cup of little millet with fenugreek seeds and black gram separately for about 6 hours.
2) Grind them together with puffed rice smoothly.
3) Allow the batter to ferment overnight.
4) Add salt to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter onto a hot tava to prepare dosas.
5) Crispy, golden brown, light, tasty and delicious dosas that make a healthy, nutritious and diabetic-friendly breakfast are ready.
The other option is to go for read-to-make millet dosa mix from brands such as slurrp farm, naturally yours, 24 Mantra and Farm Veda.
Little Millet Porridge
If you are looking for something filling, healthy and with an Indian touch, then you should definitely try this Porridge. This is a delicious, healthy and multigrain porridge made with little millet and a whole lot of protein-rich ingredients. Breakfast doesn’t get more classic than this! Perfect porridge for a healthy way to start the day with a wholesome meal in a glass!
Ingredients
Little millet grain (Samai) – 1 cup
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Salt to taste
Process
1) Cook the little millet grain in 4 cups of water.
2) Add coconut milk to the rice and boil for another 10 mins.
3) Allow it to cool and season with salt.
Little Millet Payasam
Indians have a sweet tooth and the love for sugar has been an integral part of our lives. Indian milk puddings often made for festivals, and celebrations are a great dessert option to curb your sugar cravings and a healthy recipe for the entire family. Let’s add a little zing and liveliness to your usual routine by preparing this millet payasam. Treat yourself to this delicious and healthy dessert after a satisfying meal. What are you waiting for? Try it out right away!
Ingredients
Little millet – 1cup
Jaggery – ½ cup
Ghee – 1 tablespoon
Condensed milk – 4 tablespoon
Milk – 2 cups
Process
1) Heat and roast ghee till golden brown in color.
2) Add milk and boil until little millet is cooked.
3) Add condensed milk and sugar to the cooked millet and bring to boil.
4) Garnish with dry fruits and serve.
Foxtail Millet (Navane) Sampali/Porridge
Have you been eating your porridge plain? Then you’re in for a taste bud explosion. Try this super tasty and flavored recipe that will set you up perfectly for a busy day. When it comes to a warm breakfast, this porridge recipe will prove that millets have so much more to offer in terms of flavor, texture, and goodness. If you haven’t had porridge in a while, it’s worth trying now using this recipe.
Ingredients
Foxtail millet grain – ½ cup
Sugar-1/4 cup
Cardamom powder -1/4 teaspoon
Cloves powder- ¼ teaspoon
Process
1) Boil foxtail millet in 2 cups of water.
2) Mash the cooked millet and add sugar. Bring it to boil.
3) Then mix cardamom, cloves powder and serve with milk.
Foxtail Millet (Navane) Huggi/Pongal
Made with rice, moong dal, ghee, and jaggery, topped with nuts and cardamom; this sweet pongal is a typical South Indian dish served in Tamil Nadu. For all health conscious people, pongal made with millets is a super comforting, healthy and a filling meal. Solve all your woes for pongal recipes with this overwhelmingly delicious millet pongal recipe.
Ingredients
Foxtail Millet (Navane) – 1 cup
Jaggery ½ cup
Poppy seeds – 4 tablespoon
Cardamom powder – ½ teaspoon
Cloves powder- ¼ teaspoon
Grated dry coconut – to taste
Process
1) In four cups of water, add foxtail millet and allow to boil until cooked.
2) Add jaggery, cardamom powder, cloves powder and mix well and cook for a while.
3) Take the dish off the flame, allow it to cool, sprinkle grated dry coconut and poppy seeds and serve.
Foxtail Millet (Navane) Burfi
“Meetha after a meal” is a popular phrase that we keep hearing in all our families every day. We all have to confess that we have a passion and obsession for sweets and burfi, in particular. Imagine your meetha consists of the color, flavor, and texture packed with health benefits! Here is a very healthy, tasty and easy burfi recipe. Pamper your loved ones with this incredible burfi and we’re sure your kids won’t stop asking for more. If you haven’t made burfi before, then this is quite easy, to begin with.
Ingredients
Foxtail Millet Grain– ½ cup
Groundnuts – ½ cup
Jaggery – 1 cup
Grated dry coconut – 1 teaspoon
Cardamom powder – ¼ teaspoon
Ghee- ½ teaspoon
Process
1) Dry roast foxtail millet for a few minutes while stirring and then grind into a fine powder.
2) Heat jaggery in a pan. When it melts and forms a syrup of single thread, add the flour, roasted groundnuts, and all other ingredients.
3) Mix well and transfer the mixture into a greased plate.
4) When it cools, cut into desired shapes and serve.
Foxtail Millet Kebab
Kebabs – Delicious to the degree that the word itself can make you salivate. A mixed platter of kebabs is not only a great crowd pleaser but also a sure shot way to impress your guests. Melt-in-the-mouth texture, char-grilled aroma, and the smoky flavor are just enough to set the freezing temperatures soar. What if we told you that this recipe is highly adaptable for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians and not just that but it also has the goodness and energy boost coming from Foxtail Millets! Here’s an easy recipe for this scrumptious dish.
Ingredients
Foxtail Millet Grain – ½ cup
Boiled potatoes – 2 (large)
Boiled raw banana – 1
Red chilli powder – 2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds powder – 2 teaspoon
Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon, Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
Oil to fry
Salt to taste
Process
1) Pressure cook Foxtail Millet Grain with 4 cups of water.
2) After you’re done with that mix boiled and mashed potatoes, boiled raw banana and other ingredients as mentioned above.
3) Mix all the ingredients together and then divide this mixture into small balls.
4) Flatten these balls slightly and deep fry.
Finger Millet Ambali (Malt)
The scorching summer heat is upon us. Get ready to beat the heat and stay cool with this delicious and health rejuvenating beverage that you can serve for breakfast or as a snack. One glass of Finger Millet ambali every morning will keep you active and energetic throughout the day.
Ingredients
Finger Millet powder – 2 teaspoon
Water/buttermilk – 2 glasses
Salt to taste
Process
1) Soak the flour overnight in water or buttermilk.
2) Cook the preparation the next morning on a low flame to prepare a thin porridge.
3) This method facilitates mild fermentation and improves its flavor and taste.
Finger Millet Idli
Regular idli-sambhar breakfast is healthy but this power-packed, nutritious Finger MIllet idli is a super breakfast to kick-start your day. This soft, spongy, steamed savory cake is the perfect dish to try to make your ordinary breakfast an extraordinary affair.
Ingredients
Whole Finger Millet grain – 1 cup
Idli rice (parboiled) – 1 cup
Black gram (urad dal) – ¾ cup
Fenugreek seeds -1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Process
1) Soak the Finger Millet for a day.
2) Drain and let it rest for another day till you see tiny white sprouts or soak for 3-4 hours.
3) Separately soak rice and urad dal for 5 hours, drain the water and keep it aside.
4) Grind all the soaked ingredients till light and fluffy. Add salt to taste and leave it overnight to ferment.
5) Next morning, grease Idli molds and steam in a pressure cooker for 12-15 minutes till done.
6) Serve hot with chutney or sambar.
Finger Millet Halwa (Pudding)
Savory halwa is a welcome treat for taste buds at any time giving a tough competition to the best of the best sweets on the table. What if we told you about an easy, healthy and lip-smacking Halwa made of Finger Millet topped with cashews and toasted flaked almonds for extra protein! Finger Millet halwa is one of the easiest, healthy and delicious Finger Millet recipes that you can include in your diet. Need to entertain your guests at short notice? Try this guilt-free halwa made of Finger Millet.
Ingredients
Finger Millet Flour – 1 cup
Jaggery – 1 cup
Crushed cardamom – 2
Ghee – 6 teaspoon
Fried cashew nuts for garnish
Process
1) Mix the Finger Millet flour with water and keep aside for 10 minutes.
2) Take a pan, pour the mixture and add sugar, stir it well and continuously.
3) Add ghee and stir until it thickens. Garnish with cardamom, fried cashews and mix it well.
For a nutty flavor
1) To get a nutty flavor, dry fry the millet before cooking.
2) Toast it in a pan without water over medium heat, stirring continuously for about 3 minutes until it releases a distinct aroma.
3) Can be tossed into salads and vegetables.
Source: MILLET in your Meals – Issued by NABARD
