Counting nutrients and recipes with millets by Nandita Iyer

I am amazed by the maddening diversity of food Karnataka has to offer. North Karnataka, Dakshina Karnataka, Kodagu, Mangaluru, Udupi, Saraswat and Navayath Muslim being some of the cuisines in the sate. I have tasted, cooked and delved into recipes from almost all these regions and there is probably just one dish that has eluded my love.

It is ragi mudde.

The 1^st time I had it, I almost choked. The mudde was probably too dense, or as newbie, I greedily took off too a large bite, or I didn’t soak it in enough curry to soften it. I still stay away from this very popular millet-based dish from Karnataka.

On the other hand, there are a couple of ragi dishes from Karnataka that I can’t have enough of- one being ragi ambali, which is a savoury beverage or porridge. The other is ragi roti. Unlike the thicker millet bhakris made in Maharashtra, these rotis from north Karnataka have aromatics like chilies, onion, coriander, dill leaves and other spices. These can also be made plain but as soft rotis that puff up on the tawa and remain soft for 1-2 days when kept wrapped in a muslin cloth.

The Dietary Guidelines for Indians by the ICMR along with the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) released on 8^th May gives a strong nudge to include millets as a part of one’s daily diet.” My Plate for the Day” which was published in the guidelines is a visual guide to what a balanced diet looks like.

It recommends that half of the cereal component in a day should be from whole grains like millets because they provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber and bioactive compounds that improve gut health.

It also emphasies that all cereal or millet-based diets should be had with adequate pulses or beans for good quality protein and fiber.i’m glad they’ve clearly mentioned the addition of a protein source. A common myth circulated on social media is that millets are a great source of protein.

While they do have higher protein content than rice, as per the Indian Institute of Millets Research website, the protein in millets ranges from 7.5-13 gm per 100 gm of most raw or uncooked millets. One ears roughly 25-30 gm of raw millets per serving which becomes 75-90 gm of cooked millet ( most cereals triple in weight when cooked). It has around 2-3 gm of protein. Look at millets as a whole grain or complex carbohydrate and a source of dietary fiber and micronutrients, with some added protein and not as a protein source.

The Dietary Guidelines for Indians also advises eating a variety of millets as each has different nutrient profile. For e.g. among millets, ragi has the highest amount of calcium, pearl millet is rich in iron and brown top millet has the highest dietary fiber.

A practical tip is to buy 1-2 kinds of millet in a month in small quantities and use them by rotation along with rice or any other grains, as they tend to go rancid quickly. Soak before cooking for at least an hour for varieties like kodo and foxtail and do an overnight soak for pearl millet. Grinding soaked millets along with pulses and fermenting them to make idlis and dosas is a a good idea. Use the ratio of 1:2 with water for fluffy millets that go into salads and upma ) foxtail, little and kodo millet work well for both) and 1:3 for a mashed soft consistency.

There’s a barely a dish I’ve not use millets in- salads made using a combination of millet (usually foxtail), beans, veggies and greens along with a flavourful citrus dressing being my favorite. It speaks of the versatility of this grain and how it can be used in both traditional and modern dishes. Check out the beautifully produced Millets Recipe Book by United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation on their website, which has a bunch of recipes from chefs around the world.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Low calorie desi foods to try if you want to lose weight

Some Indian foods for weight loss

Avocados, quinoa, salmon and other such rare-sounding foods have gained immense popularity among fitness freaks and people who have taken up new diets to lose weight. Losing weight is not all about reducing the amount of calories that you consume but ensuring that the food that you are eating is healthy, loaded with lean protein, fiber and good fats. Weight watchers are mostly attracted towards fancy food when trying to shed kilos, but the truth is that our everyday Indian foods are equally healthy and can help in weight loss. To all you fitness enthusiasts, we bring six low calorie foods that you should try if you want to lose weight.

​Poha

Popular in Maharashtra, Poha is an easy recipe that is also a healthy breakfast option and is made with onions, potato and seasoning like crushed chillies, crushed peanuts, curry leaves and lemon. Light on the digestive system, it is a great option for breakfast and is the go-to dish if you do not feel like cooking.

​Low-calorie microwave dhokla

Dhokla is a fermented, steamed snack that is originally from Gujarat and make for the perfect low-calorie snack. It is also a versatile option because it does not require any elaborate cooking and can be easily made in a microwave with certain ingredients like besan, chili, curd, suji and curry leaves.

​Oats idli

Made of fermented batter, idli is great for the gut and is a great snacking option as it is puffy and light. It is not fried and thus free of calories. The protein and fibre present in it make it an excellent option for you, especially if you wish to lose weight.

Green pea upma

Nutrient dense and stomach friendly, upma is a South-Indian breakfast option that will keep your cravings in check. Adding green peas to it will help in regulating the amount of protein in your diet and will also add to its taste.

Tandoori gobhi / cauliflower

It isn’t fried or deep fried which means that it is low on calories and free of all saturated fats. Cauliflower is an excellent source of weight-loss fibers and tandoori gobhi can help you reduce weight and stay healthy without the extra fat.

Ragi / finger millet dosa ( pancake)

While wheat can be fattening, ragi is a relatively low-fat alternative grain that is used to prepare dosa along with rice or lentil batter. Since it is rich in fiber, it helps to keep us full for longer periods of time and hence minimize binge eating. Eating it with sambhar is a great option because of the variety of vegetables that are present in the sambhar preparation are storehouses of health and wellness. Coconut chutney is another healthy option that can be consumed with dosa.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement