The culinary landscape is undergoing a transformation as the ancient and indigenous grain, millet, emerges as a star ingredient on dining tables around the world. The convergence of health consciousness and gastronomic creativity has paved the way for millet’s dominance in modern cuisine, challenging traditional norms and captivating the palates of food enthusiasts.
In a recent Instagram post, renowned chef and cookbook author Anahita Dhondy shared an enticing recipe featuring barnyard millets, revealing the culinary potential of this “goodness grain.” With the United Nations designating 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Dhondy’s weekly Instagram posts dedicated to millets have garnered attention, shedding light on the myriad possibilities of these grains.
Millet varieties such as jhangora (barnyard millet), ragi (finger millet), bajra (pearl millet), and kangni (foxtail millet) have long been integral to regional cuisines. However, it was only in recent times that urban India awakened to the grain’s versatility and nutritional value, moving beyond its conventional use as cattle feed.
In the global culinary arena, millets are experiencing a renaissance. American baker Jonathan Bethony, of Seylou in Washington, challenged his pastry chef to create millet-based delicacies, resulting in innovative offerings like millet canelé and millet chocolate chip cookies.
Across the world, African celebrity chef Fatmata Binta showcased fonio, a type of millet prevalent in Africa, through her creation of soupu kanja for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Chefs Challenge. Meanwhile, India’s chef Thomas Zacharias initiated the Millet Revival Project in Mumbai, and the Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts introduced a holistic program featuring dishes like pearl millet pessaratu. Pune-based brewery Great State Aleworks introduced a millet-based beer, and the Indian government is considering promoting millets in the armed forces.
Chefs are exploring diverse culinary avenues with millets, from tortillas and crisps to salads, risottos, and even brownies. Indian Accent in Delhi is delighting patrons with dishes like bajra khichdi with parmesan, while chefs are incorporating ragi flour into dimsums and Goan sanna. Millets’ adaptability to various cooking methods, such as boiling, steaming, toasting, and fermenting, allows for experimentation, resulting in distinct flavor profiles.
Notably, culinary virtuoso Vikas Khanna presented ragi cookies to the Indian Prime Minister during his US visit, highlighting the grain’s global significance.
Millets’ mild flavor serves as an excellent canvas for culinary creativity. The grains can be elevated with diverse herbs, spices, and seasonings, allowing chefs to craft unique and flavorful dishes. Millet flour finds its way into pie crusts, cakes, and cookies, while the grains themselves can be transformed into creamy puddings when cooked in milk or coconut milk.
Incorporating millets into salads, soups, stews, rotis, dosas, idlis, and other preparations not only adds a nutritional boost but also imparts a distinct taste. Millets are becoming an essential component of fine-dining menus, providing a wholesome twist to gourmet experiences.
The sweet and nutty undertones of millets contribute to their appeal. Due to their neutral flavor, they can be enhanced with various herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise. Chefs are serving millets as appetizers, accompaniments, and even standalone main courses. Creative offerings like ragi chakli and bajra tartlets with fruit custard have gained popularity, further establishing millets as a versatile ingredient.
As millets embrace the culinary limelight, they remind us of the rich culinary heritage that can be reimagined to suit modern tastes and preferences. With their nutritional prowess and gastronomic flexibility, millets have truly become a melting pot of innovation and tradition on dining tables worldwide.
