Millet recipes: how to add this superfood to your diet

Millets are various small-seeded cereal crops found in different parts of India. They are naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and rich in nutrients. Various millets found in India are Jowar (Sorghum), Kodo millet, Sama millet (small millet), Boer millet, Foxtail millet, Ragi (finger millet) Bajra (pearl millet). They are extremely beneficial for your health. Before we dive into how you can include millet in your diet, let us first understand the health benefits of millet.

Health benefits of millet

Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients and offer several health benefits:

1. They are very nutritious and a good substitute for rice.
2. Helps reduce stress thanks to the presence of a good amount of potassium and magnesium.
3. Packed with fiber and keeps you full for a long time. It also relieves constipation.
4. Maintains hormonal imbalance in women.
5. Millet is a good source of niacin, which helps keep the skin healthy.
6. Dark millet is a good source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports healthy eyes.
7. Due to the presence of soluble and insoluble fibers, millet helps maintain healthy intestinal flora and reduces the risk of colon cancer.
8. Millets are high in calcium, iron and protein, making them a complete diet for pregnant and nursing mothers.
9. Vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and folic acid help with cell growth, nervous system and spinal development.
10. Minerals such as iron, phosphorus and potassium help with blood formation and nerve conduction.
11. Eating millet can be beneficial for diabetics and people suffering from heart diseases.

Also read: Millets for Weight Loss: Lose extra pounds with this superfood

Ways to include millet in your diet

Now that you know the health benefits of adding this superfood to your diet, here are some ways to add millet to your diet:

• Millet can be ground into fine flour and prepared roti/chapati and in dosa
• Use it to prepare healthy cookies, bread and burger buns by baking it.
• Replace millet in all rice dishes such as kichidi, pulao, tamarind rice, bisibelebad, etc.
• Puffed ragi/bajra/jowar can be an alternative to rice puff. Use them as a snack in chivda, murmura and puffed rice balls (sweet). In addition to rice flakes, millet flakes are also offered on the market.

Millet recipes you can try

1. Bajra wheat palak roti

Ingredient:

• 200 grams of bajra
• 100 grams of whole wheat flour
• 1 bunch of palak leaves
• 2 cloves garlic 2 cloves
• 15 ml cottage cheese
• 2 chopped green chilly
• 3 tablespoons coriander leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients into a dough.
2. Make a roti and cook it in a pan with ghee/oil.
3. Serve warm with cottage cheese or chutney of your choice.

Also read: Skip rice and wheat and try millet for dinner!

2. Ragi jello

Ingredient:

• 1 cup overnight soaked ragi
• 1/2 cup jaggery powder
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts
• 1 tablespoon Ghee

Method

1. Grind the soaked ragi well to get thick ragi milk.
2. Put the ragi milk in a pan, add jaggery and salt and mix well. Heat the mixture over low heat for a few minutes.
3. Stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming and add ghee in small portions while stirring.
4. Once the mixture sets, add the chopped nuts and transfer it to a plate greased with ghee and let it cool.
5. Cut into desired shape and serve.

3. Pearl Millet Dosa

Ingredient

• 1 cup pearl millet
• 1/4 cup urad dal
• 2 tablespoons of rice flakes
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Soak pearl millet, rice flakes and urad dal separately in water for 4 hours.
2. Grind them separately to a sandy texture and combine them with salt if necessary.
3. Ferment them overnight or for 8 hours.
4. Prepare the dosa and serve hot with tomato or coriander chutney and sambar.

4. Mixed millet laddoo

Ingredient:

• 150 grams of ragi flour
• 150 grams of bajra flour
• 150 grams of jowar flour
• 75 grams of flour
• 30 grams of mixed nuts and dried fruit, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon roasted flax seeds or to seeds
• 3 tablespoons ghee
• 2 powdered cardamom

Method:

1. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry all the flour on medium heat until aromatic. Keep it aside.
2. Melt the cane sugar with water in a separate pan. Once melted, add the flour slowly while mixing to avoid lumps.
3. Add the nuts and seeds. Remove from heat.
4. Make ladoo by greasing your hands with ghee.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Since millet contains many nutrients, you should add them to your diet without thinking. However, check with a nutritionist or your doctor to check for possible complications.