Crispy Baked Millet Pakoras
No rainy season is complete without a plate of pakoras. Give this classic snack a healthy makeover by using a base of millet flour, like bajra or jowar, mixed with besan. Instead of deep-frying, bake these treats for a guilt-free indulgence. Combine the flours
with chopped onions, spinach, green chillies, and spices like ajwain and turmeric. Add water to form a thick batter, shape into small dollops on a baking tray, and bake until golden and crisp. The result is a crunchy, flavourful snack that captures the essence of monsoon evenings without the extra oil. Serve them hot with a side of mint chutney for the perfect pairing.
Creamy Millet and Vegetable Soup
A warm bowl of soup is like a hug on a gloomy, wet day. Elevate your soup game with the wholesome goodness of foxtail or little millet. Sauté your favourite rainy-season vegetables like carrots, corn, and mushrooms with some ginger and garlic. Add vegetable stock and a handful of washed millet, then let it simmer until the grains are cooked and the soup has thickened naturally. For an extra creamy texture without the cream, you can blend a small portion of the cooked millet and add it back to the soup. This one-pot wonder is not only filling and nutritious but also incredibly soothing.
Millet Tikki Chaat
Bring the vibrant flavours of street-side chaat into your home with a healthy twist. Prepare tikkis or patties using cooked barnyard millet (sama) or foxtail millet mixed with mashed potatoes, peas, and spices. Pan-fry these tikkis until they are crisp and brown on both sides. To assemble the chaat, place a couple of warm tikkis in a bowl, top with generous dollops of whisked yoghurt, tangy tamarind chutney, and spicy green chutney. Finish with a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, and fresh coriander. It’s a delightful explosion of textures and flavours that is both satisfying and light.
Hearty Bajra Khichdi
Khichdi is the ultimate comfort food, and using pearl millet (bajra) gives it a rustic and wonderfully earthy flavour, perfect for a cool, rainy night. Since bajra takes longer to cook, soaking it for a few hours is a good idea. Pressure cook the soaked bajra with moong dal, turmeric, and salt until soft and well-combined. Prepare a flavourful tadka by heating ghee and sputtering cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and perhaps some chopped garlic. Pour this aromatic tempering over the khichdi and mix well. Serve this wholesome one-pot meal with a side of yoghurt or a crisp papad for a truly nourishing dinner.
Warm Ragi and Jaggery Halwa
End your rainy-day meal on a sweet, comforting note with a warm halwa made from ragi (finger millet). This dessert is not only delicious but also packed with calcium and iron. To prepare it, dry roast ragi flour until it gives off a nutty aroma. In a separate pan, melt jaggery with a little water to create a syrup. Slowly add the roasted ragi flour to the syrup, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add a generous spoonful of ghee and a pinch of cardamom powder. Cook for a few minutes until the halwa thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan. Garnish with chopped nuts like almonds and cashews and serve warm.
