This post will clarify all your doubts on the basics of millet cooking and how to cook the different types of millets perfectly.
There are 9 popular varieties of commercially available millets available in India. These are categorized in major millets and minor millets. All millets are gluten free, complex carbohydrates and alkaline.
Major Millets
- Mandua/Ragi (Finger Millet): Mandua or as it is popularly known by its Kannada name, Ragi, is a millet very high in calcium. It can be used in all flour based recipes (Rotis, pancakes, laddus, etc.) or in its whole form can be sprouted. The sprouted millet can be used on its own or further dried, roasted and made into a fragrant and nutritious flour. The whole millet can also be soaked and used in fermented batters
- Bajra (Pearl Millet): Bajra is rich in iron, vitamin B 6 and magnesium.
It can be used in all flour based recipes (Rotis, pancakes, laddus, etc.) or in its whole form can be sprouted. The sprouted millet can be used on its own or further dried, roasted and made into a fragrant and nutritious flour. The whole millet can also be soaked and used in fermented batters. Broken bajra or daliya can also be used as an excellent option for gluten free daliya or made into a delicious bajra khichdi with some green moong daal. - Jowar (Sorghum): Sorghum is rich in protein & thiamin.
It can be used in all flour based recipes (Rotis, pancakes, laddus, etc.) or in its whole form can be sprouted. The sprouted millet can be used on its own or further dried, roasted and made into a fragrant and nutritious flour. The whole millet can also be soaked and used in fermented batters Broken jowar or daliya can also be used as an excellent option for gluten free daliya or made into a south indian style pongal with yellow moong daal. Jowar is one of the major millets that with sufficient soaking (7-8 hours) can also be cooked whole and tastes quite good.
Minor Millets
These can be replaced in all white paddy rice based recipes (Khichdis, flavored rice, pulav, birayani, fermented batters, kheer etc). Cook it like rice, couscous or use the millet flour in all flour based recipes. Their flour can also be used in recipes that call for ‘rice’ flour. These are also available as flakes (poha) and semolina (sooji).
- Kangni (Foxtail Millet): This is a millet that is Protein rich and quite versatile due to its neutral taste.
- Kutki (Little Millet): Little Millet is high in fibre and iron. It is excellent for digestion.
- Sanwa (Barnyard Millet): It has very high fibre content and is rich iron. This is also the millet that is commonly used during fasts.
- Chena (Proso Millet): This is the biggest amongst the minor millets and is rich in protein. Due to its size it makes an excellent paddy rice replacer.
- Kodo Millet: Kodo is low in fat, good for weight losss and diabetes.
- Browntop Millet: This is one of the minor millets with maximum digestible fibre content
MINOR MILLET RICE COOKING TABLE
| Name of Millet | Water Quantity (Stock Pot Method) | Water Quantity (Pressure Cooker Method) |
| Foxtail Millet | 3 times | 2.5 times |
| Little Millet | 2.5 times | 2 times |
| Barnyard Millet | 2.5 times | 2 times |
| Proso Millet | 3.5 times | 3 times |
| Kodo Millet | 3 times | 2.5 times |
| Browntop Millet | 2.5 times | 2 times |
How to cook fluffy millet ‘rice’?
Stock Pot Method: To cook millet rice perfectly, use the required quantity of water for every cup of millet. Wash and drain the millet well. Boil the required water in a small stockpot kind of vessel or something with a fitted lid. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the washed and drained millet. Let it absorb all the water. Do not drain water from the millet. Check gently with a spoon on the side if the water is all gone. Once the millet is cooked, spread it out gently on a plate and let it cool down. This will ensure that it stays fluffy and doesn’t stick together or form a clump. Once the millet is cooled, you can have it on its own as plain rice, toss it into a salad or make flavored rice.
Pressure cooker method: If using a pressure cooker to cook, reduce the quantity of water by half cup. For eg, for foxtail millet, this comes to 2.5 times water. Wash and drain rice well to remove excess water and add to pressure cooker. One whistle on high and 2 on low usually works well in a steel pressure cooker. Do customize it to your own cooker
Dos and Don’ts for Millet Consumption
- If you do not use a pot with a fitted lid, the quantity of water needed might increase. Adjust accordingly.
- Although millets can easily be cooked without pre- soaking, soaking and cooking them makes them more digestible. Soak the millets for 3-4 hous or overnight and discard the water. Reduce the quantity of water by ½ to 1 cup when using soaked millets.
- Do NOT use under-cooked millets. If it is chewy, then it is under-cooked. Millets should always be cooked well else it can lead to digestion issues and dehydration.
- If increasing the quantity of millets in your diet then also increase your water intake.
- Do not eat the same quantity of millets as you would of white rice. Since these are fibre rich & nutrient dense they need to be eaten in smaller portions.
- Millets keep us feeling fuller for a longer duration and provide sustained energy for longer. This does not mean that they are not being digested. We just need to adjust the quantity we consume as per our meal-frequency.
millets for health 