Millet – these tiny pearls of wholegrain reminds me of the colorful Love birds we used to keep at home. I and my brother were assigned the job of  feeding the birds with a handful of Bajra (a millet variety) before leaving to school. The same Bajra was also hulled in a stone mortal and pestle by mom to remove the husks and use the grains for making Khichdi and other recipes.

But I am sure mom did not know that these tiny grains are a powerhouse of nutrients and one of the best gluten free foods. I wish she could read all the info regarding Millets and feel proud of introducing millets in our diet at such early stage, thanks mom

Some useful sources to browse for the wholegrain Millet and Millet recipes;

WhFoods 

Millets

Millet recipes 

Health Benefits of Millets;

• Millet are considered as wholegrain and are rich in fiber and phytonutrients which helps against many forms of cancer.
• High in protein Millets are an excellent source of nutrition for vegetarians.
• Magnesium and Vitamin B present in Millets help reduce Blood pressure and control the cholesterol levels.
• The other minerals such as Phosphorous in the grains help in fat metabolism and body tissue repair.
• Complex carbohydrates in the grains make it a low GI food, which is good to control diabetes.

At my moms’ place in Rajasthan we use Millets mainly for making flat breads (Roti/chappatis) and Khichdi (lentil and veggie combo). I was introduced to this easy and healthy porridge by my MIL fromSouth India, where this nutritious drunk is an integral part of the breakfast table and for growing kids in most households.

Easy Breakfast Millet Porridge

Millet powder mix;

• 1 cup Ragi or Finger millet
• 1 cup Pearl millet (Bajra)
• 1/2 cup Sorghum (Jowar)
• 1/2 cup dry corn kernels
• 1/2 cup wheat grains
• ¼ cup green gram
• ¼ cup almonds
• 1 tbsp. soybeans
• 2 tbsp. roasted Bengal gram
• 2 tbsp. Sago/sabudana/cassava pearls
• 1 tbsp cardamom pods

Method; Dry roast all the ingredients except cardamom, almonds and sago, till they turn slightly golden brown and emanates nutty flavor.

Cool and grind all the ingredients into a fine powder, store it in an air tight container. This powder stays good for a year if refrigerated.

Breakfast Porridge 

Ingredients;

(Serve 1)

• 2 tbsp. ground wholegrain flour (recipe below)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk (or water)
• Sugar as required

Method; Mix ground flour in cold milk or water and make sure there are no lumps in the liquid.

Boil 1 cup of water and add the above liquid into it stirring constantly for a few minutes. The mixture will thicken very quickly and start sticking to the bottom. Remove from fire and add sugar in it. Serve hot or cold.

Notes;

1. Avoid wheat in the powder to make it gluten free porridge.
2. You can make the same porridge using just one millet from the ingredient.
3. Make the porridge more liquid or semi solid according to your liking by increasing or decreasing the water content in the recipe.
4. This porridge is a filling ad nutritious drink for adults as well as growing children.
5. The same millet powder can be used to make savory porridge by adding yogurt or curd in the recipe.
6. The millet powder can also be used for baking cakes, muffins, cookies and many forms of flat breads.
7. Try this healthy and nutritious Khichdi with millet, lentils and veggies.

Some useful sources to browse for the wholegrain Millet and Millet recipes;

WWC  Millet round up

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