Millet marvels: Creative recipes to savor

48

Discover mouthwatering and inventive millet recipes that make you forget wheat rotis and rice pulaos!

In this second part of our millet series, we bring you a collection of scrumptious and innovative recipes. These creative dishes are so delightful that you’ll forget about wheat and rice for a while and truly relish every bite.

Let’s dig in.

Sorghum (Jowar) Recipes

Sorghum Potato Tacos

Ingredients

• Sorghum roti – 1
• Chopped onion – 1
• Red chilies – 5
• Boiled potato – 1
• Grated cheese – 50g
• Salt – as required
• Red chili sauce – 10 ml
• Oil – 10 ml
• Coriander leaves – 1⁄2 bunch

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan; Add chopped onions and chilies; fry until golden brown.
2. In a bowl, take the boiled potatoes and mash them.
3. Add the onion-chilies mixture, and chopped coriander leaves to the boiled potato and mix until it becomes creamy, smooth and uniform.
4. Take one sorghum roti and apply red chii sauce on it.
5. On half side of the roti spread a layer of shredded cheese, followed by a layer of potato mixture and again a layer of shredded cheese
6. Now fold the roti and shallow fry it in a pan.
7. Sorghum potato tacos are ready to serve.

Cream of Sorghum Soup

Ingredients

• Sorghum grain – 100g
• Bouquet garni – 1
• Roughly cut vegetables (leeks, celery, carrot, onion and turnip) – 100g
• Vegetable stock – 1000 ml
• Seasoning to taste

Preparation

1. Clean and boil sorghum along with all the vegetables.
2. Add a sprig of Bouquet garni.
3. When all ingredients are well done, remove the bouquet Garni.
4. Blend it in a mixer and bring it back in a pan to re-boil.
5. Adjust the seasoning and add a dash of fresh cream.
6. Serve it piping hot with garlic bread.

Sorghum Upma

Ingredients

• Sorghum rawa – 1 cup
• Bengal gram dal
• Mustard seeds
• Chopped onion, green chilies, carrot, tomato
• Curry leaves – as required
• Cashews
• Ghee

Preparation

1. Roast 1 cup sorghum rawa till it turns brown.
2. Season them in another pan with mustard seeds, Bengal gram dal, onion, green chilies, carrot, tomato, and curry leaves.
3. Add 3 cups water, salt and boil. Add roasted rawa slowly.
4. Cook well till it becomes soft at low flame and serve hot, garnish with roasted cashews in ghee.

Sorghum Eggless Cake

Ingredients

• Sorghum flour – 1 cup
• Condensed milk or powder – 1⁄2 cup
• Oil –1 cup, baking powder – 1g
• Powdered sugar – 3⁄4 cup
• Baking soda – 1g
• Curd – 1⁄2 cup
• Vanilla essence –2ml

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C before mixing the ingredients.
2. Mix curd, milk and oil well and add powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda and mix well.
3. Add essence and sorghum flour to the mixture.
4. Grease the cake tray with oil and put the batter without air bubbles into it.
5. Bake at 180°C for 30 min after which remove the cake from the mould and serve.

Pearl millet (Bajra) recipes

Pearl Millet Khichdi

Ingredients

• Pearl millet – 1 cup
• Moong dal – 1 cup
• Potato, carrot, beans, green peas, salt, oil, onion, green chilies, and tomato
• Asafoetida
• Cumin seeds
• Mustard seeds
• Ginger garlic paste
• Red chili powder
• Coriander powder
• Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Lemon juice – as required

Preparation

1. Soak pearl millet grain and moong dal overnight.
2. Boil all the vegetables
3. In a pressure cooker, add soaked, washed pearl millet grain, moong dal, all the vegetables, green chili, salt, turmeric powder, 4 cups water, and cook for 3-4 whistles.
4. In a pan, sauté onion, green chili, asafoetida, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds in oil.
5. Add red chili powder, mix cooked millet grain well, simmer for 2-3 mins, and adjust salt if required.
6. Season with coriander leaves and lemon juice and serve hot.

Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients

• Pearl millet Flour – 80g
• Refined Flour – 20g
• Cold water – 1-2 tbsp
• Chilled butter – 50g

For Filling

• Onion – 30g
• French beans – 25g
• Carrot- 20g
• Sweet Corn – 20g
• Capsicum – 15g
• Butter – 20g
• Cream – 50 ml
• Tomato Puree – 20g
• Oregano – 5g
• Corn flour – 10g
• Salt & Pepper – To taste
• Cheese – For Sprinkle

Preparation

1. Sift the pearl millet flour, add butter, and rub well. Add enough water to combine the dry ingredients and make a dough. Do not over-knead.
2. Cover and keep aside for 15 minutes in the fridge.
3. Spread and level the dough in a buttered quiche/ flan tin. Prick with a fork. 4. Bake at 160 °C for 25 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
4. In a non-stick pan heat the butter, add onions and sauté, add French beans, carrots,
   capsicum, and corn. Stir and mix well, add salt and paneer. Remove from fire.
5. Add cream, tomato puree, corn flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix well.
6. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly on the cooled shells. Sprinkle the remaining cheese. 8. Bake in a preheated over 150 °C for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

Oriental Pearl Millet and Nuts Salad

Ingredients

• Bajra with hull (to sprouts) – 1cup
• Carrots, julienned – 1/4 cup
• Peanuts, roasted – 2tbsp
• Coriander leaves, chopped – I tsp
• Ginger, grated – 1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp
• Toasted almonds, halved – 1cup

For Dressing

• Honey – 1tbsp
• Sesame oil – 1tbsp
• Lemon juice – 1tbsp
• Rock salt – To taste
• Black pepper powder – 1⁄2teaspoon

Preparation

1. Sprout the Bajra by soaking it in water overnight. Drain and rinse the bajra, then leave it in a sprouting jar or a damp cloth for 1-2 days until sprouts appear.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sprouted bajra, julienned carrots, roasted peanuts, chopped coriander leaves, grated ginger, sesame seeds, and toasted almonds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, sesame oil, lemon juice, rock salt, and black pepper powder until well combined.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure everything is well coated.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a while to let the flavors meld.

Finger Millet (Ragi) recipes

Dilkash Finger Millet Pancakes

Ingredients

• Finger millet flour – 2cups
• Besan – 1⁄2cup
• Baking powder – 1⁄2tsp
• Cumin pounded – 1tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1⁄2tsp
• Hing powder – 1/4 tsp
• Rock salt – To taste
• Coriander powder – 1tsp
• Finely chopped dil – 1⁄2cup
• Moong dal sprouts – 1cup
• Carrots cut into fine dice – 1⁄4 cup
• Ghee – 1tablespoon
• Ghee – For shallow frying

Preparation

1. Take finger millet flour, besan, and baking powder in a large bowl and sieve well.
2. Add rock salt, cumin pounded, turmeric powder, hing powder, coriander powder, and ghee.
3. Gradually add the water and beat well to form a thick pancake-like batter. Let it rest for five minutes.
4. Beat it again well and let it rest for another five minutes. Repeat this twice or thrice
   until bubbles appear in the mixture.
5. On a griddle, melt ghee on medium heat. Pour in a portion of the batter and spread the
   batter to make an inch pancake.
6. Cook for 30-40 seconds and evenly spread moong dal sprouts, and carrots. Sprinkle a few drops of ghee and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side.
7. Then gently turn it upside down and again cook it for a minute.
8. Turn it upside down and serve hot with coconut and tomato chutneys.

Finger Millet Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• Finger millet – 150 g
• Mushroom – 250 g
• Oil – 3tbsp
• Cinnamon stick – 1
• Cardamom – 3
• Cumin seeds – 1⁄2tsp
• Onion – 1whole
• Turmeric powder – 1⁄2tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Ginger and Garlic – To Taste
• Green chilies – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Coriander leaves – 5 g
• Salt to taste
• Water

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick, cardamom, and cumin seeds, after a few
   seconds add finely chopped onions, and salt, and sauté until golden.
2. Once the onions are golden add the masalas – Ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder,
   Cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, green chilies, and curry leaves. Mix all the ingredients well, and then add chopped tomato or tomato puree and a little bit of water and cook until everything turns soft (5 – 6 minutes).
3. Once the oil separates, add finger millet flour and allow it to boil.
4. Add the cleaned and sliced mushrooms; mix them well with the masala mixture and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
5. Add the required water and cook until the mushrooms are cooked.
6. Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
7. Add a teaspoonful of ghee on the top to enhance the flavor.

Finger Millet Rawa Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

• Finger millet rawa – 1/4 cup
• Finger millet flour – 1/4 cup
• Water – 3/4 cup
• Salt – a pinch
• Boiled milk – 1/4 cup
• Chocolate chopped – 1/4 cup
• Chopped nuts – 1 tsp
• Chopped cherries

Preparation

1. Boil water with a pinch of salt add the finger millet rawa to the boiling water and add milk to the mixture
2. Add the finger millet flour to it and do not stop stirring, or else lumps will form.
3. Keep stirring for 2 minutes and add chopped dark chocolate mix and stir well.
4. Serve hot or cold with chopped cherries or nuts.

Recipe and picture credits: Miller recipes – ‘A Healthy Choice’ & ‘Millets International Recipes: A Culinary Journey of Tradition and Innovation’, both by the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR)

Picture credit for Sorghum Upma picture: sizzlingtastebuds.com

Part 3 of this recipe series

Millet magic part 3: More tasty and healthy recipes