How's this for a superhero origin story? Back in the 1990s, HD Deve Gowda, India's Prime Minister at the time, let it be known that ragi mudde - ragi balls dunked in sambar - was his favourite dish. Restaurants across the country added the Karnataka staple to their menus, as Prime Minister's Delight. It was probably ragi's first brush with fame.
Cut to today. Ragi (finger millet), along with sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), barnyard millet (sanwa) and other grains in the millets family, are on Michelin-starred menus. Chefs excitedly talk about their experiments with them. Nutritionists are relieved people are asking about them. They're in snacks, desserts, fancy breakfast buffets. The United Nations General Assembly even announced 2023 as the year of millets.
Millets have enjoyed little bursts of fame every few decades. But this is a welcome wave. Millets are lighter on the stomach and the Earth. You don't even have to wait long for them to cook, like your grandma did. Like rice or pasta, they need a water, some salt and a little bit of your attention. And modern recipes to play with. Here goes...
Mixed millet uttapam by chef Vanshika Bhatia
Try them at breakfast
I try to replace regular grains with millets when possible, says chef Vanshika Bhatia, who worked at Gaggan in Bangkok and is now at Delhi's OMO Café. Her interest in fermented foods from India's southern states led her to experiment with millets. I realised that even dosa and uttapam can be made using millets. I removed the rice, kept the lentils and fermented the batter in the same way. The flavour was mind-blowing and kept me full for longer, she says. She also uses ragi flour in sourdough bread and crackers.
INGREDIENTS
50 gms ragi millet, 50 gms foxtail millet, 25 gms urad dal, 3 gms methi seeds, salt, ½ tsp red chilli powder
Bu hikaye Brunch dergisinin February 04 , 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Brunch dergisinin February 04 , 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad