If you are even so slightly inclined towards eating healthy, then chances are you are well versed in the magic of millets. They are a nutrient-rich superfood that are a must-have in your daily meals. This should be the case more so when aiming to attain a balanced diet. And what better way to incorporate the goodness of the grains with these delicious millet breakfast recipes? We firmly believe that breakfast should be satiating while being nutritious. The fact that millets are delicious when cooked right, is another win in the bag. Through this blog, we aim to provide you with the best breakfast options to ensure that your mornings are both high energy and nutritionally rewarding.
Having breakfast with millets may sound a little out of the blue, but we assure you it is not. These grains have been a part of our diet for centuries. From being used exclusively in jowar bhakris, kangni khichdi to ragi porridges, millets have been used for healthy millet breakfast recipes for generations. Their neutral flavour profile allows them to be easily moldable and used in a variety of dishes, both savoury and sweet.
There are several types of grain other than the ones you will see in this easy millet breakfast recipe list. Some of them are pearl millet, foxtail millet, finger millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet, sorghum, and so on. Each has its own distinctive flavour profile as well as nutritional properties.
Here are the benefits of consuming such healthy millet breakfast recipes:
When in doubt of what to cook the next morning, here are a few millet breakfast ideas that may help:
It’s always a good idea to eat something comforting in the morning. For this porridge, cook your millets as you would with one part of water and two parts of milk. You may choose either whole milk or any plant milk you prefer. Once cooked until tender, take it off the heat and onto a clean bowl. Garnish with your favourite berries and nuts and drizzle a bit of honey for sweetness.
Who doesn’t love a bowl of warm Upma? Give your regular Upma a fine twist by rinsing and cooking the millet until it is tender and devoid of excessive water. Next, prepare a wok and heat some oil in it. To this, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chopped onion, green chilli, garlic, urad and chal dal. Sauté this temper mix for a while. Transfer your cooked millet into the wok with some turmeric powder and salt. Toss and serve with a dollop of ghee once done.
Risotto in this list of millet breakfast recipes may seem heavy for some, but at times all you crave is a little bit of indulgence. For this, sauté some of your favourite vegetables, like mushrooms, broccoli and beans, in some olive oil with some garlic. Once tender, add the millet and vegetable broth or coconut milk. Let this simmer, and when the liquid reduces, garnish the dish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and herbs.
Use this recipe the next time you are short on time. Set some overnight cooked millets aside and mash them with a cup of cooked chickpeas, coriander, onion, ginger, garlic and your preferred spices. Next, shape these into balls and fry away! Finally, serve this like a sandwich with some chopped vegetables and hummus.
Get creative with this healthy millet breakfast recipe. All you need to do is ferment some ground mix of ragi with rice and urad dal overnight. The next day, mix the fermented batter and pour in set moulds. Steam this batter to create the fluffiest ragi idli.
With the same steps as fermenting millets with Idli batter as above, do so for finger millet as well. Since the batter may be dense, you will need to add a cup or two of water to the batter. Now pour a little of this batter over a hot nonstick pan in circular motions. Cook this dosa until it is gold and brown.
Bonda, or Goli Baje, as we like to call it, is a delicacy in southern India. Recreate the millet breakfast recipe version of it at home with a cup of ragi flour, water and some cooked potatoes and mash them until smooth. Further add cumin powder, garam masala, and salt to this mixture. Once well combined, divide this batter into small round balls. Fry them well in hot oil until golden brown and serve fresh with a side of chutney and sambar.
Millets are a fantastic addition to your diet. That said, some individuals should practise moderation or be cautious when consuming the grain. Here are them:
The grains may contain goitrogenic elements that may hinder your thyroid gland functions, leading to thyroid disorders.
People with millet allergies that can lead to hives, digestive issues and itching.
Individuals with a sensitive gut may have trouble digesting millet and need to check with their healthcare professional before making the switch.
While these are a few exceptions, millets are a sustainable go-to solution to reform the diet for a majority of the population. Its myriad of and nutritional properties make it a power-packed resource to fuel your day. Through this millet breakfast recipes list, you were introduced to the creamy porridges to savoury millet bonda’s, all equally unique with bursts of flavours. Having breakfast with millets will make your mornings a fun and healthy affair.
