Millets and their benefits

Millets are a type of ancient grain that is gluten-free and rich in protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.

They have many health benefits, such as improving digestion, immunity, blood sugar control, and heart health. Millets can also help with weight loss, as they are filling and low in calories.

There are different types of millets, such as foxtail, finger, pearl, buckwheat, and more. Each one has its unique flavor and texture. Millets can be cooked like rice or quinoa, or used to make salads, fritters, burgers, granola, porridge, breads, and cakes.

a world map made of grains and beans, millets
Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

Here are some easy and delicious recipes to try with millets:

– Spiced millet salad with chickpeas and garam masala

– Millet sweet corn fritters with honey and coconut

– Puffed millet granola with almonds and dried fruits

– Easy summer millet salad with cucumber, tomato, and feta cheese

– One-pot millet pilaf with vegetables and turmeric

– Millet veggie burgers with oats and herbs

– Millet porridge with milk, nuts, and berries

Millets are a group of gluten-free grains that are rich in protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. They have many health benefits, such as improving digestion, immunity, blood sugar control, and heart health. Millets are also easy to cook and versatile. You can use them to make salads, pilafs, burgers, fritters, porridge, breads, and cakes. Here are some recipes you can try with millets:

– Spiced millet salad: Cook millet with water, salt, garam masala, and turmeric. Fluff with a fork and toss with chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, lemon juice, and olive oil.

– Millet sweet corn fritters: Mix cooked millet with corn kernels, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on a greased skillet and cook until golden on both sides. Serve with sour cream or yogurt.

– Puffed millet granola: In a large bowl, toss puffed millet with almonds, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat honey and coconut oil until melted. Pour over the millet mixture and stir well. Spread on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 300°F for 15 minutes or until golden. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container.


You may like to read Mission Millets

Gluten-free grains

If you want to try some other gluten-free grains, there are plenty of options to choose from. Some of them are quinoa, buckwheat, rice, corn, amaranth, teff, and sorghum. They all have their unique flavors and textures and can be used in similar ways as millets.

Quinoa is one of the most popular gluten-free grains. It’s very nutritious and has all the essential amino acids that your body needs. Quinoa is also very versatile and can be used in many different recipes. Here are some tasty recipes you can make with quinoa:

– Quinoa veggie burgers: Mash some cooked quinoa with black beans, oats, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into patties and cook them on a greased skillet until browned on both sides. Serve them on buns with your favorite toppings.

– Quinoa pilaf with vegetables and turmeric: Cook some quinoa with water, salt, turmeric, and bay leaf in a pot until fluffy. In another pan, sauté some onion, carrot, celery, peas, raisins, almonds, salt, pepper, and parsley in some oil until soft. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and toss it with the vegetable mixture.

– Quinoa breakfast bake with pears: In a small bowl, whisk some eggs with milk, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl, toss some cooked quinoa with chopped pears and walnuts. Transfer the quinoa mixture to a baking dish and pour the egg mixture over it. Bake it in the oven at 375°F for 25 minutes or until set.

Buckwheat is another gluten-free grain that has a nutty and earthy flavor. It’s very nutritious and has all the essential amino acids that your body needs. Buckwheat is also very versatile and can be used in many different recipes. Here are some tasty recipes you can make with buckwheat:

– Buckwheat mushroom risotto: Toast some buckwheat groats in a pot until fragrant. Then add some vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the buckwheat is tender. In another pan, sauté some onion, garlic, mushrooms, thyme, salt, pepper, and butter until soft. Stir in some parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve the buckwheat topped with the mushroom mixture.

– Buckwheat kale salad: Cook some buckwheat groats with water and salt until fluffy. In a large bowl, whisk some olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add some chopped kale and massage it with the dressing until wilted. Toss in some cooked buckwheat, cherry tomatoes, avocado, feta cheese, and almonds.

– Buckwheat banana bread: In a large bowl, mash some ripe bananas with a fork. Add some eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, and mix well. In another bowl, whisk some buckwheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Amaranth is another gluten-free grain that has a nutty and earthy flavor. It’s very nutritious and has all the essential amino acids that your body needs. Amaranth is also very versatile and can be used in many different recipes. Here are some easy ways to cook amaranth:

– Amaranth porridge: In a pot, bring 2.5 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of amaranth and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve with your choice of milk, fruits, nuts, seeds, or sweeteners.

– Amaranth pop: In a skillet over high heat, toast 1 tablespoon of amaranth at a time until they pop like popcorn. Shake or stir constantly to prevent burning. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with more amaranth if desired. Sprinkle with salt or sugar and enjoy as a snack or use as a topping for salads or soups.

– Amaranth pilaf: In a pot, bring 3 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add 1 cup of amaranth, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, and a bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and stir in some chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve as a side dish or add some cooked beans or veggies for a complete meal.

Corn is another gluten-free grain that has a sweet and juicy flavor. It’s very nutritious and has many health benefits such as improving digestion, immunity, eye health, and skin health. Corn is also very versatile and can be used in many different recipes. Here are some delicious recipes you can make with corn:

– Corn soup: In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of corn kernels with 2 cups of water until smooth. Transfer to a pot and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Garnish with some fresh parsley or cilantro.

– Corn cheese balls: In a large bowl, mash 1 cup of boiled potatoes with a fork. Add 1 cup of grated cheese, 1/4 cup of corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of corn flour, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili flakes to taste. Mix well and shape into small balls. Coat them with some bread crumbs and deep fry them in hot oil until golden and crisp. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.

– Corn salad: In a large bowl, toss 2 cups of cooked corn kernels with 1 chopped tomato, 1/4 cup of chopped onion, 1/4 cup of chopped cucumber, 2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil to taste. Refrigerate for an hour or until chilled. Enjoy it as a refreshing salad or a side dish.


Sources and references-

5 Healthy gluten-free grains

A millet melting pot



You may like to read Not a bad way to spend a Friday

Improv Tuscan Spaghetti and Scallop Dinner

Some days you are just tired of the same old, so you look at what you got and see what you can put together without having to step out and get something. Just before the lockdown lifted here in California I was shopping like most people online and saw a special  (meaning getting ready to go bad) on scallops at Whole Foods. Decided to get half a pound and figure it out later. Well that evening hubby being part Italian voted Italian instead of Asian inspired. So got to looking on the internet and found a couple of recipes that looked promising but we were missing most of the key ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes or bacon or pancetta. So leftover salami it was and the last survivors on our arugula plant in our backyard instead of spinach. The half-eaten tomato etc. I wouldn’t have bothered typing the recipe up if it hadn’t turned out to be so good.

*/ The above recipe is shared by Dilnaz Kain, my cousin who stays in the USA. /*

4 Yummy Mother’s Day Recipes You must try

Chocolate Cupcake

Mothers are champions every day of the year, however, the second Sunday in May marks the official ‘Mother’s Day’ in many countries, including India. This day is an ode to the spirit of motherhood and gives an opportunity to all of us to honour their contribution to our lives. This is an opportunity for every person in the household, be it the children, husbands, in-laws, to celebrate motherhood.

Let Dr Oetker be a part of this celebration with some wonderfully yummy and quick recipes created specially by Gaurav Chadha, in-house Chef Dr Oetker India!

4 yummy Mother’s Day recipes include:

· Roti Salad

· Aloo Tikki Burger

· Chatpata Creamy Corn Cups

· Chocolate cupcakes

Roti Salad

Roti salad, Mother's Day recipes

Serving: 2

Ingredients:

2 Rotis

2 tbsp Onions

3 tsp Lemon Juice

2 tbsp Spring Onions

2 tbsp Tomatoes (chopped)

1 tsp Sabzi Masala

½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

2 tbsp. Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise Diet

50 g Paneer

20 – 25g Green Bell Peppers

20 – 25g Carrot

20 – 25g Cucumber

Coriander Leaves

15g Almonds Slivers

Directions:

  1. Roll the 2 rotis together and cut into thin Julienne.
  2. For the dressing, in a mixing bowl add 2 tbsp chopped onions, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tbsp spring onions, 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes, mix it. Now add 1 Tsp. sabji masala, ½ tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp diet mayonnaise, stir and mix the dressing. Now add the roti Julienne to the dressing and 50 gm of crumbled. Mix everything together and plate it.
  3. Now in the same bowl, add juliennes of ¼ green bell pepper, ¼ carrot & ¼ cucumber and fresh coriander leaves, mix it with the leftover juices from the dressing. Use this as the garnish over the roti salad and finish with a sprinkle of about 1 tbsp of almond slivers.

Level: Beginner

Preparation time: 15 Minutes

Aloo Tikki Burger

Aloo tikki burger, Mother's Day recipes

Serving: 1

 

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Dr Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise Burger

1 Portion Burger Bun

1 Portion Aloo Tikki

1 Piece Tomato (Medium, sliced)

1 Piece  Onion (Medium, sliced)

Directions:

  1. Spread 1 tbsp burger mayonnaise on each half of burger bun.
  2. On the bottom, half of burger bun place burger patty, tomato slices, onion slices. Add a dollop of mayo and top it up with another half of the bun. Serve

Level: Beginner

Preparation time: 5 Minutes

Chatpata Creamy Corn Cups     

Chatpata Creamy Corn Cups, Mother's Day recipes

                

Serving: 2

Ingredients:

100 g Jaggery

100 ml Water

1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Bay Leaf

½ tsp Black Peppercorn

2 ½ g Ginger (ginger)

150 g Corns

3 tbsp Dr Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise Garlic

75 g Cheese (processed)

4 – 5 g Mint Leaves

Salt

Directions:

  1. Put the pan on flame, add 100 gm jaggery, 100 ml water & 1 tbsp tamarind pulp & stir. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp black peppercorn and salt. Add the chopped ginger & 150 gm sweet corn. Cover the lid and let it cook for at least 30 minutes.
  2. After 30 minutes, add 3 tbsp of garlic mayonnaise, and mix with a whisk finely. Now add 75 gm processed cheese grated into the preparation. Add a few mint leaves, cook more for about 5 minutes and prepare to plate.
  3. Serve as suggested in a glass with tamarind pulp.

Level: Beginner

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Chocolate Cupcakes   

 

Chocolate Cupcake

Serving: 3

Ingredients:

250 g Dr Oetker FunFoods Eggless Bake Mix 11 Cakes

8 tbsp Dr Oetker FunFoods Mayonnaise Veg

100 ml Water

50 g Butter

3 tbsp Whipped Cream

50 g Blueberry Jelly

2 tsp Sugar (icing)

Directions:

  1. Empty the eggless bake mix into a mixing bowl. Add 7 tbsp of Mayonnaise Veg & 100 ml water, stir thoroughly & then add 50 gm of melted butter. Stir continuously till batter has blended evenly.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180degree C, fill the mix into the moulds. Bake it for about 20 minutes roughly, check once with a toothpick a little after 15 minutes. Remove them once ready and keep it aside to cool.
  3. For frosting, mix the whipped cream with 1 tbsp of Mayonnaise Veg, fill this mix into the piping bag. Start frosting the cupcakes with the cream and top it/garnish with the blueberry jelly. Give a touch of icing sugar in the end.

Level: Beginner

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes


You may also like to read 13 reasons you didn’t know about Mother’s Day


Exotic Mango recipes

Mango recipes

Transport yourself to a tropical paradise with these luscious mango recipes.
All you need to do is bring home some succulent mangoes to prepare these innovative and easy-to-make recipes to relish.

Following are few of avant-garde mango recipes for summer!

Kairi Murgh Tikka or Mango Chicken Tikka

Ingredients
Chicken leg boneless 180 gms.,
Raw mango 100 gms,
Ginger 10 gms,
Garlic 10 gms,
Green chilli 8 gms,
Salt 5 gms,
Turmeric powder 5 gms,
Garam masala 2 gms,
Jeera powder 5 gms,
Lemon 10 gms,
Besan 20 gms,
Egg 1,
Mint 15 gms,
Coriander 20 gms,
Curd 100 gms.

Procedure
Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients. Boil the mangoes and make a puree of it. Now add chicken and keep it overnight.
Arrange marinated chicken on a skewer and cook it in tandoor of an oven. Serve hot.

***********

MANGO PHIRNI

Ingredients

1 litre milk

½ cup mango puree

1 tablespoon rice, soaked for 1 hour

3-4 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon green cardamom powder

1½ tablespoons finely chopped mixed nuts (almonds and pistachios)

¼ cup chopped mango Mango slices for garnishing

Method

1. Boil milk in a deep non-stick pan.

2. Grind rice into a smooth mixture, add to boiling milk, mix and cook until reduced. Add sugar and mix till it melts.

3. Switch off heat, add green cardamom powder, mixed nuts, chopped mangoes and mango puree and mix well.

4. Put in individual serving bowls and refrigerate to chill.

5. Serve chilled garnished with mango slices.

***********

Mango Kulfi

Mango kulfi is an easy Indian mango ice cream and this recipe does not require any cooking, so easy!!

Ingredients:

Mango Puree: 1 cup or 1 1/2 cups chopped Alphonso mango

Condensed Milk:1 tin

Amul Fresh Cream: 1 pct

Saffron: A fat pinch and extra for garnishing

Seeds of 5 cardamom

Almonds: 7-8

Make hay when the mangoes are there…

Happy Mango Season