Here are a selection of nutritious millet recipes, generously shared with Health on Air by Bipasha Das, a distinguished senior nutritionist and the visionary founder of Sugati – Center for Diet and Wellness. These delightful recipes can easily be prepared in the comfort of your own home.

1) Summer Millet salad

Ingredients

•       1 cup Millet
•       2 cups Vegetable broth or water
•       2 cups Tomatoes chopped.
•       1 cup Cucumbers chopped.
•       2 tablespoon Olive oil
•       4 tablespoon Lemon juice
•       1 cup chopped capsicum
•       1 cup chopped bell peppers
•       ½ cup Parsley or coriander leaves roughly chopped
•       Salt and pepper to taste
•       1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

•       Toast millet in a dry pan over medium low heat until slightly golden and toasty. Add vegetable broth or water and cover and cook over a simmer for about 20 minutes or until andante. Leave set for 10 minutes off the heat with the lid on.
•       Allow to cool. (If in a rush, put in a bowl and in the freezer for about 5 minutes.)
•       Add chopped tomatoes, peppers, capsicum, cucumbers, olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds parsley or coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well combined. Enjoy!

2) KUDO MILLET PULAO

Ingredients

Measuring 1 cup = 250 ml

•       1 cup kudo millet
•       2 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, green peas and capsicum)
•       2 tablespoons ghee or oil
•       2 bay leaves
•       1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
•       1 sprig curry leaves
•       1 large onion
•       ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
•       ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
•       salt to taste
•       2 cups water
•       juice of half lime

To Grind:

•       2 tablespoon onion
•       1 inch ginger
•       3 cloves garlic
•       3 green chilies
•       ¼ cup mint (pudina)
•       ¼ cup coriander leaves (cilantro)
•       2 cloves
•       1 inch cinnamon stick
•       1 cardamom
•       ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf) optional

Instructions

Preparation:

•     Chop all the vegetables like carrot into cubes, beans, capsicum lengthwise as in the image and use frozen peas. Chop onion lengthwise.
•     Soak Kudo Millet in sufficient water for 15-20 minutes. If you are in a hurry, skip this step. In this recipe, I dint soak millets.
•     Take all the ingredients listed under “To Grind” into a mixer grinder and blend to a smooth paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
•     Add mixed vegetables and cook for a minute.
•     Then add rinsed millet, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt, and water and mix everything well. Adjust seasoning at this stage.

3) Millet Dosa

Ingredients

•     1½ cup foxtail millet kangni
•     1½ cup pearl millet bajra
•     ¾ cup skinned black gram urad dal
•     ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi
•       2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Making the batter:

•     Place foxtail millet, pearl millet, and urad dal in separate bowls. Wash them thoroughly and drain the water.
•     Add fresh water and soak them for 5-6 hours. Drain the water from both the millets and urad dal.
•     Grind the urad dal by adding little water until it is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
•     Next, grind the millets separately by adding little water as needed. Transfer it to the bowl along with urad dal. Mix the batter well.
•       Let it sit for fermentation overnight. The batter is ready to be used once it is well fermented.

Making the Dosa:

•     Add salt to the batter and mix well. Place a dosa tawa on medium heat and let it heat up.
•     Take a ladle full of batter and pour it into the center of the tawa. Using the ladle or a small bowl gently spread the batter in a circular motion.
•     Pour a teaspoon of oil or ghee onto the dosa. Cook on medium heat until it is golden brown.
•     Fold the dosa as desired and remove it from tawa.
•     Sprinkle some water and clean the tawa before making the next Dosa. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
•       Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

4) Ragi cake

Ingredients

•     1.5 Cup Ragi Flour
•     1 Cup Quick Oats
•     1 teaspoon Baking Soda
•     1 teaspoon Baking Powder
•     ½ teaspoon Salt
•     3 Ripe Bananas about 1 cup or 360 gms
•     1 ¼ Cup Jaggery Coconut Sugar/ Palm Sugar/White Sugar- Powdered. Reduce this to 1 cup if using chocolate chips too.
•     ½ Cup Coconut Oil
•     ½ Cup Yogurt Use dairy Free Yogurt for Vegan version
•     1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
•     ¼ Cup Walnuts Optional
•     ¼ Cup Chocolate Chips Optional

Instructions

•       Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or 360-degree F. Prepare the loaf Pan by lining it with butter paper and oiling it on all sides.
•       In a large bowl, Mix the Ragi flour, Quick Oats, Baking Powder, Baking soda & Salt together.
•      1.5 Cup Ragi Flour,1 Cup Quick Oats,1 teaspoon Baking Soda,1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt

•       Take another bowl and Mash the Bananas. Add the Powdered Jaggery, Oil and Yogurt and whisk. Add the vanilla Extract
•       3 Ripe Bananas,1 ¼ Cup Jaggery, ½ Cup Coconut Oil,1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract,½ Cup Yogurt

•       Pour the liquid banana mix into the Flour mixture. Mix it all well together.
•       Mix the chocolate chip and Walnuts using a spatula.
•       ¼ Cup Chocolate Chips, ¼ Cup Walnuts

•       Pour into a loaf Pan and bake for 30-40 minutes till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5) Millet Tikki : –

Ingredients

•       2 cups Millet cooked
•       1 tsp Oil + 1 tbsp for pan frying
•       1 medium Onions or Leeks chopped finely
•       1 small Carrot chopped finely
•       ½ Capsicum / Bell Peppers chopped finely
•       1 Green Chillies chopped finely
•       1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
•       1 tsp Chilli powder
•       2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
•       1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
•       Salt to taste
•       Coriander leaves a handful finely chopped

Instructions

•       Heat a tsp of oil, add in all veggies, ginger garlic paste, chillies and sauté till golden.
•       Now add in salt, chilli powder, garam masala powder and ketchup. Mix well.
•       Add in cooked millet and mix well.
•       Add in coriander leaves and mix well. Remove this to a bowl, cool it down.
•       Now take a small portion and shape it into ball. Flatten it lightly.
•       Pan fry it little oil till it is crispy and golden.
•       Remove and serve.