Health benefits of using millets in our daily diet & the commonly used millets
The awareness on health is increased now. We want to go walking regularly, do yoga and also we wish to have healthy food. We are well aware of the health benefits of using millets in our daily diet and how it helps overcome lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity and their accompanying complications to some extent.
Actually, the staple food of ancient India was millet, not rice. Surprising!, right?
High in fiber, rich in essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Millets are an ideal rice substitute, good for cholesterol, diabetes and helps in weight loss. According to our traditional medicine, millets support digestion, improve appetite, nourish our breath and alleviate blood deficiencies, increase lactation, harmonize the stomach, and support sleep.
What else do we need ?
The commonly used millets are:
1. Pearl millet (Bajra or Bulrush millet or Kambu),
2. Finger millet (Ragi or Marwah or Nachani or Kelvaragu),
3. Jowar millet (Sorghum or Solam),
4. Little millet (Kutki or Shavan or Samai),
5. Kodao millet (Kodra or Kodan or Varagu),
6. Barnyard millet (Samwa or Jhangora or Kudhiraivali) and
7. Foxtail millet (Kangni or Rala or Thinai).
Let me share the health benefits of each millet and a few simple recipes using them.
Pearl millet is rich in phosphorus which helps cells to store energy, and many other vital minerals. Often cooked in winter, pearl millet brings warmth to the body and increases energy levels.
Personally, I have seen people who work in the field taking this as their primary food. That I consider as the proof for ‘Pearl millet gives energy’!
The health benefits of pearl millet includes:
When I was little, my aunt Sagunthala amma used to cook kambu sadham(Pearl millet rice) at home frequently. The best combination for the hot Kambu sadham will be the drumstick leaves sambar! Also, some spicy gravy made with brinjal and dried beans would be suitable for it.
Then the kambu sadham will be made into balls and soaked in water. That will be mixed with curd and served with raw onions on the subsequent days, even for 4 or 5 days. Of course, I will share the recipe for that👍🏻
Also, she and my mother used to make sweet kambu laddu, wow the taste is unique😊
At those times my cousin sisters, Nimmi akka, Rani akka, Kala akka and Malli akka, used to make the millet ready for cooking using the traditional stone mortar 👇🏻
We mix the jaggery with the raw kambu flour and eat it fresh, again that will be very tasty. Looks like a golden period, right?
I will share the recipe for Pearl millet rice and few other interesting items using this millet in my future blogs 😊
● Wash the pearl millet and soak it for 2 to 3 hours. ● Drain the water and pat dry the millet, spreading it on a kitchen towel. ● Take the millet in a mixie jar and use pulse mode for 2 to 3 times. ● Use a sieve to separate the nice flour and the broken millet, keep them aside. ● Boil the water in a vessel with a thick bottom. ● Once the water comes to a boiling state add the broken millet and cook for 10 minutes in medium flame. ● Stir frequently so that it does not stick to the bottom and to avoid lumps. ● Once the millet is cooked to a soft state slowly add the nice flour stirring continuously keeping it in a minimum flame. ● After 3 to 4 minutes put off the flame. ● Close it with a tight lid and keep the hot tawa on it for 10 to 15 minutes(Optional). Kambu sadham, the pearl millet rice, is ready for serving! Drumstick leaves sambar is the best combination for this or any spicy curry will go well with this.
