Diva's Kitchen - Experiments with pots and pans

In my quest for nutritious meals within 30 minutes, I have been experimenting lately with various grains like millets, amaranth, quinoa, barley, oats and cooking them Indian style! At around the same time, I was also inspired to take up this adventure by "Runner girl in the kitchen" our culinary expert at Runner Girls India.


Today, I am sharing a simple recipe with a fancy name "Millets Pilaf". It has become quite a hit at our dining table.


Millets Pilaf for two people 

Ingredients


Hulled millets - 1 cup (75gms) I use Bobs Red Mill brand since it doesn't need much soaking.  
Extra virgin olive oil - 2 teaspoons  
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon 
Onions - finely chopped  ( half a big red one)
Green chillies finely chopped ( 1-2 depending on their size and how spicy one may want :-))
Garlic ( 2 pods ) finely chopped
Ginger ( half teaspoon finely chopped)
Tomato (one finely chopped)
Yellow or red bell pepper ( one finely chopped)
Zuchinni ( one finely chopped)
Chick peas - precooked (100 gms)
Salt - one teaspoon

Turmeric powder - one teaspoon

MTR rajma masala powder- one teaspoon

Optional - According to your tastes, you can also add 100 grams of any mixed vegetable of your liking - green peas, corn, carrots


Method


Soak the hulled millets in one small cup (about 100 ml) of water for 5 minutes. Add another 100 ml of water to it and boil in a pot without a lid for around 15 minutes low to medium flame. Take care to stir them occasionally so that they do not coagulate and cake up. After 15 minutes, turn off the flame and cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Millets soak the water to swell up and become fluffy.


Separately, in a heated pan (Kadai), add olive oil and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds splutter and become  deep brown, add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies. 


When the onion turns golden brown, add the tomatoes, bell peppers, zuchinni and precooked chick peas, mixed vegetables and sautee them. Add turmeric powder, rajma masala powder and salt.


To the above sauteed veggies, mix the fluffy cooked millets and stir nicely. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with mint coriander low fat yogurt chutney or plain low fat yogurt.


Serve with lots of love.


Preparation time: Approximately 30 minutes


Nutritional value:  Millets are gluten free, whole grains high in fibre and nutrition. For knowing about the goodness of this grain, you can read more here. Overall, Millets Pilaf is a good blend of protein, complex carbohydrate and minerals, and the fantastic bonus - it is low on calories (approx. 300 calories per meal)


Keep coming back here to read about more such adventures. Till the next time, ciao.