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MagicofmilletsTheHindu

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METROPLUSFOOD

HYDERABAD,August18,2013

Magicofmillets
SangeethaDeviDundoo

JowarPhoto:MohammedYousuf

Varietiesofmilletslikejowar,ragi,korra,bajraandsama.Photo:P.V.Sivakumar

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MagicofmilletsTheHindu

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MilletcookiesbyAmandineJudez

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Milletscanbeusedtoprepareanumberofsweetsandsavouries.

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MilletmuffinsbakedbyAmandineJudez

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MagicofmilletsTheHindu

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Stopfrettingoverquinoaandswitchtomillets.Theymakeforahealthierandcosteffectiveoption
ItslikelythatyouveheardofquinoaifyoureahealthfoodjunkieyoumighthaveeventriedprocuringitfromfriendsvisitingfromtheUS
orpaidabombtobuyitfromselectsupermarketshere.AkilogramofquinoacostsRs.1000ormoreinthecity,factoringintheimportduties.
Itsdebatableifyouneedtostockuponthefalsegrainquinoa,whichtravelstoyourplatefromacrosstheglobe(SouthAmericatobe
precise).Inthisdaywhennutritionistsemphasiseoneatinglocalproducetoderivethemaximumnutrients,whatareyourchoicesapartfrom
riceandwheat?Everthoughtofthehumblemillets?Unlikequinoa,akilogramofanymilletwillcostyoulessthanRs.100.
Letsbreakitdownfurther.Milletsincludejowar(greatmillet),ragi(fingermillet),korra(foxtailmillet),arke(kodomillet)andsama(little
millet).Alltheseareavailableintheformofrice(example:foxtailmilletrice),rawa(example:jowarandbajrarawa)andflourformsin
supermarketsinadditiontojowarpastasorragistringhoppers.Thesemaylookcoarseandunappealingforaneyethatsaccustomedtomill
polishedwhiterice,butonceyoumastertheartofcookingthesewell,thehealthbenefitsareforyoutoenjoy(seetable).
ShyamPrasadPenubolu,founderofJivaOrganics,recentlyorganisedamilletcookingworkshop.Wehavecustomerswhounderstandthe
nutritionalbenefitsofmillets,butsomeofthemwouldaskushowtocookmillets.Thatmadeusthinkofacookingworkshop,hesays.The
firstworkshopwasforasmallgroup.Buoyedbytheresponse,JivaisplanningasecondworkshoponAugust24atGoetheZentrum.Millets
werepartofourdietuntilwereplacedthemwithpolishedriceandwheat,Shyampointsout.Milletsarepartofourforgottentraditions,he
says.
NinaOswald,theGermanresearcheronorganicfood,whomovedtoHyderabadin2009,cannotfathomtheobsessionwithquinoa.Besides
theecologicalfootprintofimportingquinoa,sheemphasisestheneedtoincorporatemilletsintoourdiet.Thereisanegativeattitude
towardsmillets.Peopleinurbanareasfinditunattractiveandcallitvillagefood,forgettingthat50yearsagoeveryonewaseatingthese
grains,shesays.Shepointsoutthattherearedifferentmilletswithuniqueflavours.Choosetheoneyoulikeandincorporateitgradually
intoyourdiet.Afriendofminemixesmilletswithrice.Youcanalsoaddmilletflourtoidli/dosabatter,rotidoughorreplacebulgurwheat
withmilletsforrecipesliketheTaboulehsalad,shesuggests.
AnumberofbodiessuchasTheDeccanDevelopmentSociety,TimbuktuCollectiveandtheMilletNetworkofIndiahavebeentryingtheir
besttomakeurbanfolkrediscovertheimportanceofmillets.
WhilemanyHyderabadishavebeenlookingforwaystogetquinoa,expatriateswhovemadeHyderabadtheirhomehavewelcomedmillets
intotheirkitchen.AmandineJudez,whostartedtheODlicesFrenchstylebakeryinErramanzil,makescookieswithwholewheatandjowar
flourandjaggery.Ihavealsousedmilletflourformangoandbananacakes,shesays.
Stillnotconvinced?NinaOsswaldpointsout,Ittakesonlyonetothreeweeksforourbodytoadapttonewfood.Bepatientandyoullstart
likingmillets.
Cookwithmillets
Usemilletrawasandmilletrice(foxtailorkorrabiyyam)tomakekhichdi/upmawithlentilsandvegetables.
Addasmallamountofmilletstoidli/dosabatterorrotidough.
Usemilletsalongwithoats,wholewheatandjaggerytomakecookiesandladdus.
Usesproutedmilletsinsalads.
Whymillets?
Nutritionalreasons:Milletsarefreeofglutenunlikericeandwheathavelowglycemicindex.
Environmentalreasons:Milletscangrowindrylandsandlandwithpoorsoilquality,requireonly1/5thto1/10ththewaterthatriceand
wheatrequire.
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