Millet are being touted as the next big thing in the health food industry. People looking for gluten free diet have shifted to millets completely. Last April I had chanced upon a few organic millets. Out of which I had tried Foxtail millet khichadi and my my, it just bowled over my husband and me. The other packets were somehow never opened. Yesterday I made a firm resolve and tried my hand at Little millet. I decided to make upma with it. I didn't not have the time to search the internet for recipes. Just went ahead and made it the way I make upma normally. I knew from my experience of working with foxtail millet, that they need to be soaked for a few hours. I soaked it for 5 hours. Since I was not sure of the millet to water proportion, I boiled it beforehand and strained it. Kept it in the strainer till all the water had drained off. What I got was beautiful grains of little millet. Each grain separate. It looked a lot like couscous. I wish I had clicked a picture for you all. Since I had no clue what to serve it with, I paired it with a simple salad of cucumber and onion. This simple meal was divine. To say that the upma was tasty would be an understatement. I used a mix of Carrot, green peas and cauliflower. You can use more whole chillies if you want it spicier. I didn't have coconut, otherwise would have loved to use it for garnishing. Please do try it. If there are other ways of cooking little millet do let me know.
Ingredients Little millet 1/2 cup Water 2 cups Oil 2-3 tbsp Peanuts a handful Cashew nuts a handful Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Dry red chili 2 Cloves 3 Onion 1 large sliced Ginger 1 tsp grated Chopped vegetables 1 cup Tomato 1 grated Salt to taste Lemon juice 2 tsp
Coriander chopped 2tbsp
Method 1. Wash and soak little millet for 5-6 hours. 2. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, now tip in little millet. Let it boil on medium heat till done. It will take approximately 10-15minutes. 3. Pour it into a strainer and let it be till all the water has drained off. 4. Heat oil in a non stick pan. 5. Fry Peanuts and cashew nuts and keep them aside. 6. In the same oil add mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, whole red chilli and cloves. 7. Once seeds crackle add onions and ginger. 8. Saute for a few minutes till onions soften. 9. Now add the vegetables and little salt. Give it a good mix. 10. Cover and cook till vegetables are all dente. Don't forget to stir from time to time. 11. Tip in grated tomato and stir for a minute. 12. Add some more salt. 13. Carefully tip in the little millet. 14. Mix it well and cook it for 2 minutes. 15. Mix in lemon juice, half of the fried nuts and chopped coriander. 16. Taste and adjust seasoning. 17. Serve warm, garnished with remaining nuts and chopped coriander.