Budget 2023 boost | Superfood recipes: Have millets? Make bread and cake

Millets can be used to bake bread and other treats. (Photo via Unsplash)

India’s millet mission gets a boost in the arm as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shines a light on this ancient grain at her presentation of the Union Budget 2023, today. “We grow several types of Shree Anna, such as jowar, ragi, bajra, ramdana, cheena, and saama…These have a number of health benefits and have been an integral part of our food for centuries. Now, to make India a global hub for Shree Anna Research, the Indian Institute of Millet Research in Hyderabad will be made into a centre of excellence,” she said.

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The Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) is the central agency to work on all aspects of millet/sorghum research and development under the auspicious of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Located at Rajendranagar in the city, the institute is engaged in basic and strategic research on sorghum and other millets. It conducts agricultural research on millet breeding, improvement, pathology, and value addition.

The millet story so far

The United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM). The proposal was moved by India, and was supported by 72 countries. Several events and activities, including conferences and the issuing of stamps and coins, are expected as part of the celebrations aimed at spreading awareness about millets, inspiring stakeholders to improve production and quality, and attracting investments.

A vegan, millet bowl. (Photo: Jo Sonn via Unsplash)

For the uninitiated millets are small-grained cereals like sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet (kangni/ Italian millet), little millet (kutki), kodo millet, finger millet (ragi/ mandua), proso millet (cheena/ common millet), barnyard millet (sawa/ sanwa/ jhangora), and browntop millet (korale). The grain was among the first crops to be domesticated in India with several evidence of its consumption during the Indus valley civilisation. India produces over 170 lakh tonnes of millet, accounting for 80 per cent of Asia’s and 20 per cent of global production. It is also the largest producer and fifth-largest exporter of millets in the world.

There are two types of millet: naked grains and husked grains. Ragi, jowar and bajra, the three most popular millets fall under the category of naked grains. These do not need to be processed after harvesting, and can be just cleaned and used, which makes them so popular. On the other hand, foxtail, little and kodo millet are husked grains because of an indigestible seed coat (husk) over them that needs to be removed before consumption.

Millets are the new superfoods

Millet dosa with potato subzi and chutney by Sanjeeta KK.

More nutritious than modern wheat, millets are loaded with health benefits. “Eat a millet bhakri everyday as a millet a day keeps the dullness away,” says nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. “They are an inexpensive source of amino acids, vitamin B, iron, calcium and fibre.

Niacin a type of vitamin B found in millets is useful in energy production, nerve health and keeps the digestive tract healthy. The magnesium, zinc and fibre found in millets make it an excellent food for blood sugar regulation, especially for PCOD and diabetes. The folic acid helps with iron assimilation and improves skin and fertility.” But don’t mix millets randomly, she cautions. “Have them one at a time. Finish the meal with jaggery and ghee and add a chutney.” In fact, India is known as the second largest diabetes capital of the world, and this has led to a surge in the demand of millets.

Bring home the millet magic

Stuffed bajra millet snack by Priyanka Pullooru.

Millet can be incorporated in a variety of ways and in different forms. It's especially prized by those adhering to a gluten-free diet. Apart from making heart-warming snacks such as ragi idli, millet khichidi, ragi cookies, bajra tarts, ragi dosas, etc., millets can also be added to soups, salads, and even served as a side dish with stir fry. Millet also makes for an excellent substitute for other grains, like quinoa or brown rice. In Ethiopia, it is used to make injera, a spongy flatbread while in Germany, sweet millet porridge is eaten with apples and honey. “Incorporating millets into our meals can be both nutritious and delicious. It's naturally gluten-free and has a unique taste. You can start by using millets as a substitute for rice in dishes like pulao or fried-rice or make a simple porridge by boiling millets with milk or water and adding your favourite sweeteners and toppings. You can even use them in place of breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish for a crispy exterior. The possibilities are endless and the key is to have fun and experiment,” says Amit Sharma, co-founder, Brewworks Pvt. Ltd (the company that runs Poetry by Love & Cheesecake).

If you are into baking you can replace refined flour with millet to create breads, cookies, cakes and other delicacies. “As a pastry chef I love to bake breads and cakes with millet flour as they add great texture and stability along with increasing the gluten-free portfolio,” says Dhriti Mankame, head chef, KMC,  a restaurant and co-working space in Mumbai. And you don’t have to be intimidated with the coarse grain, she adds. “It always takes a few tries to get it right when you are cooking anything new. Remember to soak the millets before you grind them to make cakes and breads. Cooking millet in a clay pot will give you the maximum benefits. Jowar works great in desserts. You can make it by grinding the soaked jowar or making a pudding or halwa with it. Even traditional recipes like kheer and payasam can be substituted with millets bringing an innovative touch to a classic.”

Cooking with millets is easy and fun once we understand the inherent properties of each grain, believes Shahbaz Shaikh, chef de cuisine of Mumbai based restaurant Loci & Toot. “Buckwheat flour can be an excellent substitute for refined flour hence we use it in our buckwheat pita bread and handmade pasta. Barley absorbs water leaving a lot of starch behind. So it makes for a great substitute for Arborio rice in risottos. We use it to make a saffron barley risotto which is a crowd favourite. Just keep an open mind and experiment. Just like our ancestors have been doing with this ancient grain.

Varagu millet tomato pulao by Shradha Saraf.

Ready to roll with millets? Here are some delish recipes to start
with:

Gluten free bread
By Rachi Gupta, executive chef and founder of The Bread Bar, Mumbai

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
1 cup warm water
1 cup jowar

3/4 cup Ragi
1/2 cup Bajra
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup flax meal
2 tsp Xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil

Method

• Proof the yeast by mixing the yeast, honey, and warm water together in a small bowl or measuring cup.  It will begin to get frothy after about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine the millet flours, rice flour, flax meal, Xanthan gum, and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, olive oil, and honey. Add the yeast/water mixture. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
• Transfer the dough to a 9 x 5-inches greased loaf pan.
• Cover the pan with a warm wet towel and let the dough rise. It should take between 45 and 90 minutes for the dough to reach the top of the pan (depending on the air temperature).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• When the dough has risen to the top of the loaf pan, bake it for 40 to 45 minutes. The loaf should rise a bit more while baking and the top should be well-browned.
• Cool on a wire rack before removing from the pan. Tastes best the same day.

Ingredients

100 gm jowar
100 gm bajra flour
2 eggs
2 gm baking soda
2 gm baking powder
200 gm dates (soaked in almond milk and then blended)
250 ml almond milk
90 gm clarified butter
25 gm jaggery powder
20 gm dark chocolate
50 gm mixed seeds

Method

• Mix the jaggery powder and egg using a whisk
• Add clarified butter
• Mix almond milk 80 ml (to adjust consistency) and then add the date paste
• Add the dry ingredients and mix well
• Bake in a greased pan at 160 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes
• Glaze with chocolate and nuts

• Boil almond milk (250ml) and add dates to it. Keep it aside for 2 hours and then grind into a fine paste.
• For the chocolate glaze, melt 1,000 gm dark chocolate and add 125 gm oil to it. Temper the chocolate and add chopped nuts (as required) in it.