‘Millets – The Grain Revolution’, published by New Delhi-based Worldly Wise Publishers, unravels the goodness of the ‘superfoods’, and provides 40-odd easy-to-cook recipes, with millets as primary ingredients
Vikas Chawla is also the Millet Ambassador at Nutrihub, an arm of the Hyderabad-based ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research
The ‘Millet Chef’ has made it a mission in life to promote millets as a healthy way of life
Just as the overwhelming wheat-paddy crop cycle is bad news for the environment, so is the wheat-rice overdependence in our diet for our health. The awareness that millets, a diverse group of small-grained cereal crops extensively cultivated for thousands of years in semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa, are a probable answer is growing but not translating into action on the ground fast enough.
Here comes a well-researched cookbook on millets by a well-known chef, who, after trying out the superfoods on himself, his family and social circles, for months, has made it a mission in life to promote millets as a healthy way of life.
The cookbook, ‘Millets – The Grain Revolution’, authored by Millet Chef Vikas Chawla, and published by New Delhi-based Worldly Wise Publishers, was officially unveiled in Chandigarh in mid-December 2024 by Bal Mukund Sharma, Chairman of the Punjab State Food Commission. Wordly Wise Publishers founder Chandni Mathur also graced the occasion.
The cookbook, into which Vikas Chawla has encapsulated his 15 years of experience and research on millets, provides 40-odd easy-to-cook recipes, with millets as primary ingredients, that can seamlessly replace everyday grains. The recipes come with detailed set of measured ingredients and instructions for ease of cooking.
Sharing his thoughts about the book in an exclusive interaction with your own news portal LifeInChandigarh.com, Chef Vikas Chawla shared that “Despite years of advocacy, I had identified a significant gap in public awareness about millets. Many people still ask What are millets? How do we cook them? Why are these important?”
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He said recognizing this widespread lack of understanding, he crafted the book to bridge the knowledge gap, featuring simple, easy-to-follow recipes that can be made in any kitchen.
“With this book, I have aimed to simplify healthy eating and encourage more people to explore the incredible benefits of millets. It’s about making sustainable, nutritious choices accessible to everyone,” Chef Vikas added.
For a better understanding of the recipes Chef Vikas Chawla, who is the Millet Ambassador at Nutrihub, an arm of the Hyderabad-based ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, has devoted several pages to familiarise the reader with the various popularly used millets, and the nutritional benefits of each.
The various types of millets (photographs provided at the end of the write-up)
1. Sorghum millet (Jowar)
2. Pearl millet (Bajra)
3. Finger millet (variously called as Ragi, Nacheeni or Mandua)
4. Foxtail millet (Kangni)
5. Little millet (Kutki)
6. Kodo millet (Kodra)
7. Proso millet (Chena)
8. Barnyard millet (called Sanvak, Sanva or Jhangora)
9. Browntop millet (Hari Kangni)
Additionally, there are a couple of pseudo millets as well, which are not true members of the millet family, but share similar characteristics, and are often used as substitutes in various cuisines around the world. These are:
1. Amaranth millet (called Rajgira, Ramdana or Chilai)
2. Buckwheat millet (Kuttu)
Millet recipes
The recipes in Millet Chef Vikas Chawla’s cookbook range from Fermented Millet (a magical food naturally rich in Vitamin B12 and an incredible immunity booster), to Boiled Millet, to Beetroot Millet Curd Rice, Red Cabbage Millet Rolls, Chana Dal & Cranberry Pulao with a cupful of millet, Coconut Millet, to Barnyard Millet Khichdi (a fasting-friendly dish which is a comforting blend of barnyard millet, aromatic spices, and potatoes simmered to perfection).
Then there is Pongal, a wholesome South Indian delicacy that brings together millets (Little or Barnyard) Moong dal, and a flavoured tempering of spices and cashews.
Autumn Harvest Millet Salad is a refreshing, colourful salad that combines the crunch of lettuce, the sweetness of apples and pears, and the nutty richness of walnuts and Proso millets, all tied together with a tangy vinaigrette.
Among Indian flatbreads, the cookbook has a recipe for Ragi Millet Roti. For people who can’t do without paranthas, there is the healthy Jowar Pumpkin Parantha and Bajra Mooli Paratha among others.
The book has good number of recipes for the sweets and dessert-loving folks too, among them being Sarvagun Meetha, Alsi Ki Pinni (a super energy ball), Jowar Halwa, Little Millet Kheer, Healthy Millet Hot Chocolate Pudding, Ragi Burfi, and Ragi Dry Fruits Panjeeri.
In bakes, the cookbook gives you recipes for making crispy and delicious Millet Shortbread Cookies, Orange Upside Down Sorghum Millet Cake, and more.
In a foreword to the book, Nutrihub CEO Dr B Dayakar Rao has written that millets are climate and nutri-smart crops, hailed as superfoods, good for the farmers, good for the planet, good for humans, and good for businesses as well.
Commending Chef Vikas Chawla for carefully crafting this book, which not only creates insights about millets in the culinary world but also kindles a passion for millets in kitchens globally.
“It features a wide range of dishes that not only highlight the distinct tastes and textures of millets but also illustrate how versatile these are in modern cooking,” he shared.
