1. Lemony Millets:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup millets (such as foxtail millet or barnyard millet)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, bell peppers, etc.)
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
- Rinse the millets thoroughly and drain.
- In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Add mixed vegetables and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the rinsed millets and sauté for a couple of minutes to lightly toast them.
- Add water and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the millets simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked and water is absorbed.
- Once cooked, fluff the millets with a fork.
- Add lemon juice and zest. Mix well.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot.
2. Millet Magic Pulao:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mixed millets (pearl millet, proso millet, little millet, etc.)
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, corn, etc.), chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- Fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
- Wash the mixed millets thoroughly and soak them for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a pressure cooker or large pot, heat oil or ghee over medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft.
- Add turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the soaked millets and chopped vegetables. Stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add water, close the pressure cooker lid, and cook for 2 whistles or until millets and vegetables are cooked.
- Once the pressure releases, open the lid and fluff the pulao with a fork.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.
3. Sama Rice Chickpeas:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sama rice (barnyard millet rice)
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (canned or boiled)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chili, chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
- Wash the sama rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a pot, heat oil or ghee over medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and green chili. Sauté for a minute.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the soaked sama rice and cooked chickpeas. Stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and water is absorbed.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, and serve.
4. Ragi Laddu:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ragi flour (finger millet flour)
- 1/2 cup powdered jaggery or sugar
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios)
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- A pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a pan, dry roast the ragi flour over low heat until it turns aromatic and slightly golden. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- In the same pan, melt the ghee over low heat.
- Add chopped nuts and sauté until they turn golden. Remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the roasted ragi flour, powdered jaggery or sugar, grated coconut, sautéed nuts, cardamom powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Gradually add melted ghee and mix until the mixture comes together and you can shape it into laddus.
- Take small portions of the mixture and shape them into laddus by gently pressing and rolling between your palms.
- Allow the laddus to cool and set before serving.
5. Millet Dosa:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mixed millet flours (pearl millet, finger millet, sorghum, etc.)
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup urad dal (black gram dal), soaked for 4-6 hours
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), soaked with urad dal
- Salt to taste
- Water, as needed
- Oil or ghee, for cooking dosas
Instructions:
- Grind the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds into a smooth paste using enough water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mixed millet flours and rice flour.
- Add the ground urad dal paste to the flour mixture and mix well. Add water gradually to make a smooth batter with a dosa batter consistency.
- Add salt and mix thoroughly. Allow the batter to ferment for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Once the batter is well fermented, heat a dosa griddle or non-st