They say birds know what's good for them!
I knew Millet (bajra –
hindi) to be the main ingredient in birdseed, however I did not know that it is
one of the earliest cultivated grains. Millet is widely consumed in the Indian
subcontinent and used in African and Eastern European cuisine as well. Millet
is one of the least allergenic, non-glutinous grains available that is also
very high in protein.
As a member the
so-called “pseudograins”, (quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and teff are actually
seeds) millet might just be
one of the most versatile of those “grains”. Millet has a nutty/earthy taste, and
when it is hulled it can be used
in making pulao, when pressure cooked or slow cooked one can make a Konji/Kanji/Soup,
which would be great for breakfast or stirred raw into baked goods for an extra
crunch, sprouted for salads, ground into flour, or popped like popcorn. Thirty five grams of bajra contains
approx 4gms of protein, great for the vegan/vegetarian diet.
Better late than
never, I‘ve started to consume millet regularly in my diet. I eat it pressure
cooked as a substitute for rice (beware - it has a VERY chewy texture), but I
like it! I also make roti’s- Indian breads with it, since others in my family
are not so gung ho about it I make the rotis with equal portions of Bajra flour
and whole wheat flour. I’ve found after many tries that the bread is best
consumed fresh and the flavor is enhanced when eaten with raw sliced onions,
blistered green chilli/salt or a powder of peanut, coconut, garlic and dry red
chillies. Apparently this is how the peasants in India consume the rotis, which
also go by the name Bhakri roti and thecha or lahsun chutney.
Millet flour roti
Ingredients
2 cups freshly milled
millet flour
2 cups whole wheat
flour (atta)
1 medium onion, finely
chopped
1-2 green chillies,
finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh coriander
leaves, finely chopped
3-4 cups warm water
4 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method
Mix both the millet
and wheat flours. Add salt, onions, chillies, coriander leaves and 1 tbsp of
the oil and rub into the flour mixture. Make a well and pour 2-3 cups of water
and knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough forms a ball and
leaves the side of the bowl. Set aside. Meanwhile heat an iron griddle.
Make lemon sized balls
of the dough and roll on wooden board with a rolling pin into the size of a quarter
plate (6-7 inchs). The roti should be atleast 3-4mm thick, if you roll the roti
too thin it will break while cooking. Using a fork make dimpled impressions all
over the roti and on both sides so that
it will cook fast and evenly.
Once the griddle is
hot slap the roti on and allow it to cook for 45 seconds and flip over and cook
another 30 seconds. Apply a little bit of the reserved oil on each side and
cook until light brown spots appear. It is important to cook the bread fast or
it will become dry.
Serve warm with butter,
sliced raw onion and pickle (see recipes below).
Roasted green chilli:
Stick a green chilli on a skewer and roast on an open flame until it blisters.
Serve it with salt. To eat, mash the chilli and salt together and apply on the
roti.
Lahsun chutney
(dry
garlic/coconut/peanut powder)
Ingredients
100 gms dry roasted
skinned peanuts
100 gms grated dry
coconut
20-30 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp red chilli
powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Method
Pound all ingredients together
in a mortar and pestle or gently blend in a food processor until a coarse
powder is formed.
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