Chef Gautam Kumar Shares His Favourite Millet Recipes

Health may sometimes take a backseat due to our busy schedules and lifestyles, causing us to become careless about our well-being, which can have severe long-term effects, such as degrading our immunity. To keep our body and mind healthy, maintaining a balanced diet is essential. A nutritious meal not only provides us with the energy to perform daily tasks but also protects us from ailments such as bad cholesterol and diabetes. Speaking of nutritious meals, millets are an excellent option.

Loaded with protein, antioxidants, fibre, and magnesium, they have more calcium than any other cereal. According to Healthline, they are good for controlling blood sugar and bad cholesterol. It is also perfect for people who are allergic to gluten. Pearl millets, sorghum, foxtail, and buckwheat are some common millets in India. Along with being healthy, millets are also versatile, as they can be used to make a variety of dishes. From dosa for breakfast to kheer for dessert, millets work well for every meal.

So, if you are planning to incorporate millets into your diet, here are three yummy recipes for you shared by the Executive Chef, Gautam Kumar, at Moksha Spa Resort, Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh:

Millet Green Salad


Ingredients  

  • 100 g of pearl millet, boiled
  • 100 g of iceberg lettuce
  • 20 g of black olives
  • 30 g of sundried tomatoes
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 pinches of black pepper, crushed
  • 1 lemon wedge

Method 

  • Take a bowl and add boiled millet, torn iceberg lettuce, black olives, and sundried tomatoes.
  • Squeeze the lemon wedge, add salt and black pepper, and the salad is ready.

Millet Dahi Kebab

Ingredients 

  • 20 g of pearl millet, boiled (bajra)
  • 50 g of millet flour
  • 100 gm potato pahari (boiled)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)
  • ½ tablespoon green chilli, chopped
  • ¼ tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ tablespoon garam masala powder

For Stuffing 

  • 2 tablespoons hung curd
  • ½ tablespoon mint, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
  • 1/4 tablespoon green chilli, chopped
  • 1/8 tablespoon ginger, chopped
  • Salt to taste

For Frying  

  • Refined oil 

Method 

  • Boil the pearl millet and drain it out. It may take approximately 40 minutes.
  • Take a bowl, peel the boiled potatoes, and grate them.
  • Add millet flour to it.
  • Add fresh coriander, green chilli, ginger, salt, and garam masala powder.
  • Add a little water and mix it to form the tikki consistency.
  • In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the stuffing.
  • Make tikkis with the potato and millet flour mix and stuff them with the hung curd stuffing.
  • Make it into a roundel and coat it with the boiled pearl millet.
  • Fry it in refined oil, and your millet dahi kebab is ready. Serve it with mint chutney.

Vegan Ragi Phirni


Ingredients

  • 200 g almond
  • 30 g of ragi flour
  • 150 g of jaggery
  • 1 pinch of cardamom powder

Garnish 

  • 1 pinch of almond flakes
  • 1 pinch of black cardamom (seed)
  • 1 pista, minced

Method 

  • Soak the almonds for four hours.
  • Peel them and grind them to a fine paste by adding water. Strain it, and almond milk is ready.
  • Heat a pan, pour in the almond milk, and bring to a boil.
  • Add ragi flour and cook till the consistency starts getting thicker.
  • Add jaggery to it and get it cooked properly.
  • Add cardamom powder to it. Cook well till its consistency is thick like phirni.
  • Garnish it with almond flakes, black cardamom seeds, and chopped pista. Enjoy.