Who says you can’t eat millets every day? Look at the surplus varieties of millets offering unique flavour profiles and nutrition in our meals for ages. It’s true that, in a world of instant noodles and pasta, millets were forgotten. But now more than ever, people are realising the power of this superfood and bringing it back!
From its nutty taste to its incredible nutritional profile, millet is a powerhouse ingredient that deserves a spot in your kitchen. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner, we'll equip you with the knowledge and techniques to prepare millet dishes.
Get ready to understand how to cook millets to satiate not just your tastebuds, but your gut as well.
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How to Cook Millets for Better Nutrition
There are a few simple steps to take care of before cooking millet. Millets or any whole grain have phytic acids. These phytic acids aren’t good for the human body; they restrict the absorption of nutrients and may increase uric acid in the body.
To remove the phytic acid from the millets, soak them in water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Discard the water and rinse it in fresh water before cooking.
This simple step will get rid of phytic acid, reduce the cooking time of millet, and improve its texture and flavour.
Alright! Now, you can also benefit from healthy millet; all you need are perfect millet recipes. Fret not; we have just what you need!
5 Perfect Millet Recipes for a Scrumptious Healthy Meal
Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients: minerals, vitamins, protein, and healthy carbs. They have become a go-to option for vegan, paleo, keto, and sattvic diets. Being gluten-free and low in glycemic index makes them an ideal source of nutrition for diabetics, patients suffering from Celiac disease, heart diseases, and other digestion issues.
Additionally, they are trendy and easy, even for someone who doesn’t know how to cook millet. Moving back onto perfect millet recipes, here are a few millet recipes to make your breakfast, lunch, and dinner delightful.
Let’s see them now, shall we?
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Millet Banana Bread: A Vegan and Oil-Free Recipe for the Health-Cautious
This gluten-free millet banana bread only needs a few ingredients from your regular kitchen pantry and turns out delicious. Replace your traditional white flour bread with this healthy alternative to make sandwiches and toasties. Alright, follow the recipe below to learn how to cook millet banana bread.
Ingredients for Millet Banana Bread:
- Ripe Banana
- Millet or Rajgira/ Ramdana
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Jaggery/coconut sap sugar/ sugar
- Vanilla Extract/ Essence
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Cinnamon powder
How to Cook Millet Banana Bread
- First, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease the baking dish with oil or line it with butter paper.
- Now in a blender, blend the banana, millet, vanilla, and sugar of your choice into a smooth paste.
- Transfer it to a bowl and mix one to two tablespoons of wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add water to balance the consistency. Taste the batter to adjust sugar or vanilla.
- Transfer the batter to the bread loaf baking dish. Bake it for 90 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Take it out when the corners pull away from the pan and are brown.
- Let it cool down for 15 minutes or so before slicing.
- Serve it with your favourite sandwich spreads, fruits or veggies, or eat them as they are with your tea or coffee. Enjoy the warmth of this comfort food guilt-free.
Recipe source: Power Hungry
Next in line is the decadent energy bars for your hangry moment of the day.
2. Millet Chocolate Energy Bars – Adios Hunger Pangs!
Indulging in healthy desserts is a dream for everyone, and when it's a homemade energy bar, it's the best. Let’s see how to cook millet chocolate energy bars in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients for Millet Chocolate Energy Bars:
- Some soaked dates, date syrup, or date puree
- Coconut oil
- Seed and nut mix of your choice (almonds, cashews, walnuts, resins, pumpkin, and chia seeds).
- Puffed millet
- Almond Butter or Peanut butter
- Chocolate sauce (mixture of coconut oil, cacao powder, butter, and almond or regular milk) or some melted chocolate chip
- Desiccated coconut
Instructions for Millet Chocolate Energy Bars
Constructing this millet energy bar is simply energy. Here’s what you need to do:
- Add the seedless, soaked dates to a blender with coconut oil and almond butter to make a smooth, runny paste.
- Now, add the nuts and seeds and blend them together till they are broken down to the right size.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the puffed millet.
- Take a tray lined with butter paper and spread the mixture evenly.
- Now, prepare the chocolate sauce and pour it over the millet mix. Garnish it with coconut flakes.
- Cover it and freeze it for an hour. Take it out and slice it into your desired portion sizes.
That’s it; the millet chocolate bars are ready to be served!
Once made, they are good to go for a month in the freezer. Such a time saver, isn’t it?
Recipe Idea: The Awesome Green
Fun Tip!
Enjoy these chocolate millet energy bars along with your ice-cream and cold coffee for a complete holiday feel.
3. Roasted Buckwheat & Millet Granola
This Buckwheat and millet granola is your answer to replacing the regular muesli and granola mixture in your breakfast. Making your own granola means freedom from preservatives, stabilisers, low-quality grains, and more. Let’s jump on and learn how to cook this delicious Roasted Buckwheat & Millet Granola at home.
Ingredients for Roasted Buckwheat & Millet Granola:
- Millet of your choice (ragi, foxtail, pearl millet, rajgira/amaranth, etc.)
- Almond or peanut butter
- Honey, coconut sugar or date puree as a sweetener (optional)
- Seeds (pumpkin, chia, flax, or sunflower seeds)
- Dry fruits (your choice)
- Cinnamon powder
- Sea salt
- Coconut oil
- Vanilla extract
Instructions on How to Cook Millet Granola
- Rinse the buckwheat and millet and strain them to remove any grit. Put them in a big, deep bowl.
- Add all the seeds, dry fruits, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and salt.
- Now, in a pan, take almond butter, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract and stir them on a medium flame till they turn runny. Pour this wet mixture into the granola mixture and mix it well.
- Then, transfer the mixture to the baking tray and spread it evenly to form a half-inch layer. Bake it for 15 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius and stir it a bit.
- Then, bake it again for 15 minutes and stir it up again. Repeat until the granola mixture is crisp and golden brown.
- Taste a little to be sure. Once done, let it cool and transfer it to an airtight container.
Make your regular cereal breakfast, yoghurt, smoothies, and custards more nutritious by adding millet granola.
4. How to Cook Lemon Millet – A Delicious Breakfast
This is a typical lemon millet recipe and is perfect if you wish to know how to cook millet traditionally. Millets have been included in India's daily meals in the form of khichdi, Pongal, etc.
Ingredients for Lemon Millet Recipe
- Kodo Millets half cup
- Water 1.5 cups
- Salt to taste
- Coconut oil for tempering (or any oil you use)
- Mustard seeds
- Bengal gram or chana dal 1.5 tbsp
- Urad dal 1.5 tbsp
- Peanuts ¼ cup
- Hing a pinch
- Green chillies
- Red chillies
- Turmeric
- Ginger 1 tsp grated
- Curry leaves 8 to 10
- Lemon as needed
Instructions on How to Cook Lemon Millet
- The first step is to rinse and soak the millet for about 30 mins. Then, cook it on a medium flame until the water is absorbed. Cover and cook until they are completely cooked. Check it with a fork and keep it aside to cool.
- Heat a pan and add coconut oil. Add the chana dal, curry leaves, ginger, and green chillies. Add all the spices and temper it for a minute on a low flame.
- Add the cooked millet and mix it well with the tempering. Top it off with lemon juice and give it a good mix.
- Serve it with curd, papad, salad, or as it is.
Recipe Source: Indian Healthy Recipes
Know all about Kodo Millets - Benefits, Nutrition, Uses and More here.
See, that wasn’t so hard, right? Isn’t it similar to Poha and Upma?
5. How to Cook Foxtail Millet Pulao
This is another recipe from the traditional ways of cooking millet in South India. But it is inspired by North India’s pulao, or tehri. Mouthwatering right? The recipe is simple and a wholesome meal on its own. Foxtail Millet is a perfect replacement for your regular rice in pulao, with more flavours. Let’s get to it!
Ingredients for Foxtail Millet Pulao
- Soaked foxtail millet half cup
- Water 1.5 cups
- Salt to taste
- Ghee as needed
- Chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, onion)
- Mint leaves
- Ginger garlic paste
- Bay leaf
- Cloves
- Cardamoms
- Cinnamon stick
- Star anise 1
- Mace or Javitri one strand
- Cumin
Instructions on How to Cook Foxtail Millet Pulao
- Take a skillet and add oil. On a low flame, temper all the dry spices.
- Now, add chopped onions, and after a few minutes, add ginger-garlic paste. Let them turn golden brown.
- Then, add the chopped vegetables and saute for a few minutes.
- Next, pour in the water, add the salt as needed, and bring it to a boil.
- Now, add the soaked millets and stir them well.
- Let it cook on a medium to low flame until the water is completely absorbed and they are cooked.
- Turn off the flame and cover it for a few minutes more.
Recipe Source: Indian Healthy Recipes
Serve the Foxtail Millet Pulao with raita and enjoy this comfort meal.
FAQs: How to cook millet perfectly and deliciously?
Is it necessary to soak millet before cooking?
It isn’t necessary, but as a healthy practice, it is advised to soak millet for at least 30 minutes. It makes the millet easy to cook and easily digestible.
What is the best way to eat millet?
The best way to eat millet is by cooking it in plain water and eating it along with vegetables, salads, or just curd. You can also bake them or make pancakes and dosas from their flour. Choose what works for you.
How long does it take to cook millet?
It takes anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to cook millets in boiling water. However, millet flour takes a lot less time.
How much time should millets be soaked?
Soaking millet for 30 minutes to an hour is more than enough to get rid of the phytic acids and make it soft for cooking.
How to Cook Millet in a Rice Cooker?
To cook millet in a rice cooker, simply add millet and water (usually in a 1:2 ratio) to the cooker, then turn it on. Let it cook until the millet is tender and the water is absorbed.
What's the Millet to Water Ratio for Cooking?
The millet to water ratio is typically 1:2, meaning for every cup of millet, use 2 cups of water for cooking. Adjust the ratio if needed for specific millet types.
Does Millet Increase Uric Acid?
Millets are generally considered safe for individuals with high uric acid levels. In fact, they may be a good dietary choice for those who need to manage uric acid levels due to their lower purine content.
What Are Some Millet Based Desserts?
Millet based desserts include items like millet puddings, millet kheer, and millet-based sweets. They provide a healthier twist to traditional desserts.
Conclusion
Look at that! It was a flavourful guide on how to cook millet and add its nutrition and flavours to everyday meals. We have covered everything from breakfast granola to munching millet energy bars, and who can resist the millet banana bread, lemon millet, or the pulao? We hope that you have everything you need to cook millets.
Oh, wait! What about the supplies like millet, coconut oil, coconut sap sugar and all ? Well, we have got your back. Head to Two Brothers online store to buy the best organic varieties of millet Kodo, finger, foxtail millet , and more, coconut oil and more right away.
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