Chefs Share Indian Millet Recipes: Stick To Gluten-Free Diet

While the world keeps moving to the next new thing, kitchens are embracing the ancient millets. With the newer generations aiming towards a healthy lifestyle, gluten is getting replaced by millets like ragi, bajra, rajgira, jowar, and many more. If you have just started to shift towards a millet-forward diet, here are some recipes that will taste like your regular sabzis and rotis, minus the gluten. 

Specially curated by Indian chefs, you can make yourself a traditional Indian meal by just tweaking some ingredients, have a nutritional boost, and that too, without a considerable change in the taste. So, gather your favourite millet flours and get cooking.

Also Read: Indian Desserts Made Vegan: Chef Shares Dairy-Free Recipes For Your Sweet Tooth

Makhana Makhani Gravy With Kuttu Paratha

By Chef Tarun Sibal, Chef & Entrepreneur at Street Storyss

Ingredients for Makhana Makhani Gravy

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves
• 1 cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt, to taste
• Roasted makhana
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions for Makhana Makhani Gravy

1. Melt butter in a pan, add cloves, cardamom, and cumin seeds. Sauté until fragrant.
2. Add garam masala powder and kasuri methi. Sauté for one minute.
3. Add tomato puree and cook until the mixture thickens.
4. Stir in heavy cream and milk. Bring to a simmer. 
5. Add the roasted makhana into the gravy.
6. Season with salt. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Ingredients for Kuttu Paratha

• 1 cup kuttu flour (buckwheat flour)
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt, to taste
• Ghee or oil, for brushing

Instructions for Kuttu Paratha

1. In a bowl, mix kuttu flour, salt, and water to form a soft dough.
2. Divide into equal portions and roll into parathas.
3. Cook on a hot tawa, brushing with ghee or oil, until golden brown on both sides.

Paneer & Rajgira Seekh Kebab

By Shreyas Bhat, Culinary Director, GAIA

Ingredients:

• 250 g paneer, grated
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1 medium boiled potato, grated
• Sendha namak (rock salt / pink salt), to taste
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp amaranth (rajgira) flour or buckwheat (kuttu) flour
• ½ tsp roasted cumin (jeera) powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Ghee, as required

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine paneer, roasted peanuts, potato, green chilli, ginger, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and sendha namak.
2. Gradually add flour until the mixture binds into a soft, firm dough. Finish with lemon juice.
3. For a smoky aroma, place the cooked kebabs in a covered bowl with a small katori containing hot coal drizzled with ghee for 1-2 minutes.
4. Grease your palms with ghee, take a portion of the mixture, and shape evenly around skewers into elongated kebabs.
5. Heat a grill pan or tawa, brush lightly with ghee or peanut oil, and cook kebabs over medium heat, rotating until golden on all sides. Alternatively, bake at 200°C for about 15 minutes, turning once.
6. Serve hot, finished with a squeeze of lemon juice.