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KUTHIRAIVALI THAYIR SADHAM - BARNYARD MILLET CURD RICE

"Millets" have survived the era of famines & drought with high pest resistance & an ability to survive in harsh environments & it even grows in less fertile soil. These benefits stem from its genetic composition and physical structure mainly due to its small size and hardness. All the more it belongs to Grass Family. The Crop Value of these Millets proves to be advantageous both for the farmers & for the consumers. It is hence mentioned as a "Miracle Grain" for its superficial nature and nutritious value.

My acquaintance with these Millets was through my SIL, Nithya, who bought me packets of Samai, Thinai and Varagu during our visit to our hometown 4 years back. Before that, I had never cooked any Millets except Ragi(Finger Millet). Initially, I tried cooking Pongal with it which she had cooked for me when I was home. Then trying new recipes and venturing took me some time. And again during my visit to my hometown last year that I saw this Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham. Yet another new Millet for me. My friend 'Suchi' had cooked this for us, just a simple recipe to finish off a scrumptious meal - cooked Kuthiravali mixed with Curd, no temperings etc., I loved the taste of it & obviously I wanted to try it at home, so I made sure to buy few packets of Kuthiraivali(Barnyard Millet).

KUTHIRAIVALI - BARNYARD MILLET

Barnyard Millet in Indian Languages:

Kuthiraivali in Tamil.
Kavadapullu in Malayalam,
Oodalu in Kannada,
Udalu in Telugu,
Sanwa in Hindi,
Shyama in Bengali,
Moraiyo in Gujarati.

With few trial and errors and finally I got it through with precise measurements from Chitra's Food Book, which truly helped me to get perfectly cooked Millets. Since then cooking Millets has become a child's play and I started preparing Thayir Sadham, Pongal etc., with Millets. Millets or colloquially called Siru Dhaniyam((small grain) are highly nutritious gaining its popularity due to its Gluten-free nature and low Glycemic Index Value. These Millets are rich in Protein, Fiber and Antioxidant contents. It provides plenty of Phosphorus and Magnesium and especially Finger Millet(Ragi) provides more Calcium than any other cereal.

This recipe is prepared with Barnyard Millets or Kuthiraivali and I have cooked it in a Pressure Cooker. Cooked Kuthiraivali is then mixed with Curd and tempered for this Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham. A simple and quick fix recipe which can be served any time of the day for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. A total comfort food, soothing to the stomach, tasty and all the more healthy. It suits best to be served as a party dish to end up a scrumptious meal. Serve it with any preferred Side Dish or just with a smidgen of Pickle or Mor Milagai for a fiery combo.

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Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Main
Spice Level - Low
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 25 - 30 Minutes

For THAYIR SADHAM/CURD RICE RECIPE, Click here...

HOW TO COOK KUTHIRAIVALI THAYIR SADHAM - BARNYARD MILLET CURD RICE

KUTHIRAIVALI THAYIR SADHAM - BARNYARD MILLET CURD RICE

INGREDIENTS:

To Cook the Millet:

Kuthiraivali/Barnyard Millet – 1 Cup

Water – 3 Cups

For Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham:

Curd/Yogurt - 1 Cup
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Salt - to Taste
Sugar - a Pinch

For a detailed recipe on HOMEMADE CURD/YOGURT, Click here...

For Tempering :

Oil/Ghee - 2 Tspn
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tspn
Bengal Gram Dhal - 1/2 Tspn
Cashews - 8-10 Nos.
Raisins - few
Green Chillies - 2-3 Nos.
Ginger - a Small Piece
Curry Leaves - a Sprig

For Garnishing :

Coriander Leaves - few
Carrot - few strands(Optional)
Pomegranate/fresh Grapes - few(Optional)

METHOD:

How to Cook Barnyard Millet/Kuthiraivali(Pressure Cooker):

Wash Barnyard Millet/Kuthiraivali for 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
Some Millets have dust and husk in it, so make sure to wash it thoroughly.
Leave it in a sieve or a colander(with fine holes) to drain off any excess water.
There is no need to soak Kuthiraivali. It tends to get cooked soon.
I cooked this Millet in a Pressure Cooker.
Add cleaned Kuthiraivali along with 3 Cups of Water and a dash of Salt.
Drizzle a teaspoon of Oil to the millet and give a quick stir.
Adding oil while cooking Kuthiraivali helps you easily fluff it up without being sticky, once cooked.
Cover the lid of the Pressure Cooker and place the Vent Cap.
Let the flame be at medium-low. Pressure cook for just 2 whistles(or for 5-7 minutes).
Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release.
Open the lid and gently fluff up Kuthiraivali with a fork or a spoon.
You can slightly mash it up for this recipe. Allow it to cool down.

For Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham:

Meanwhile, Heat Oil/Ghee in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds & Bengal Gram Dhal.
Immediately add Cashew nuts and Raisins to the above and roast it on a very low flame until cashew nuts turn into light golden brown in colour.
Immediately add finely chopped Green Chillies, Ginger and Curry Leaves to the above and give a quick stir.
Switch off the flame and pour the tempering to the cooked Kuthiraivali/Barnyard Millet.
Pour Milk and Curd/Yogurt to the above and mix well.
Adjust the amount of Salt and add a pinch of 'Sugar to the Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham.
Garnish it with finely chopped Coriander Leaves and few strands of finely grated Carrots.
Can also add few seeds of Pomegranate or thinly sliced fresh Grapes.
Simply serve this Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham/Barnyard Millet Curd Rice with a smidgen of a Spicy Pickle of your choice.

NOTES :

I have cooked this Millet in a Pressure cooker.
Alternatively, it can be cooked in a Sauce Pan or in a Rice Cooker too.
Barnyard Millet/Kuthiraivali needn't be soaked. It needs very less cooking time.
Can cook the same recipe with Millets like Samai/Thinai or Varagu.
Except for Thinai, the other Millets - Samai & Varagu can be cooked in the same way with the same Millet: Water Ratio(1:3) and also there is no need of soaking these Millets.
Whereas Thinai needs to be soaked and Millet Water Ratio is (1:3).
Once cooked, temper it and the amount of milk & Curd for the recipe is also the same.
If you feel Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham dry or thick, adjust the consistency of the dish by adding some Milk and Curd.
If the Curd/Yogurt is sour can add more Milk to adjust the sourness.
Never add Curd when the Millet is warm. This will curdle the curd and make the dish watery.
Tempering the ingredients in ghee would enhance the flavour.
Adding Raisins and a pinch of Sugar to the recipe is truly optional.
Garnishing the dish with Pomegranate Seeds or fresh Grapes are purely optional.
Can refrigerate Kuthiraivali Thayir Sadham until you serve it (if you prefer it to be served cold).
You can even serve it by just adding Curd. No need for tempering it too.

RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA

     Recently there have been a lot of talkings about these small grains - "Millets". These long-forgotten small grains are finding their popularity for their nutritional value. These grains were known only in our geography lessons where we learn about regional crops - Corn, Barley, Jowar, Millet etc., I had always wondered what was 'Thenum Thinai Mavum', when I heard it in a Tamil Folk Song for which we danced during our School Days. My Mom never cooked these Millets except Ragi/Finger Millet at home.
   My Mom uses Ragi extensively, she makes Ragi Porridge for breakfast and it is still a routine at my Mom's place. I usually make Ragi Porridge twice a week for breakfast. But never ever occurred that could cook something else out of these finger millets except going to the extent of making "Ragi Vadai". My Mom always gives me a batch of freshly ground Ragi flour when I go home.
     Millets were introduced to me by my 'SIL' Nithya, 4 years back when I visited India she bought me a few packs of these Millets and also had taught me how to cook Pongal with it. Since then I always bought a batch of these Millets whenever I visited India. During my last visit, I bought some whole Finger Millets along with other Millets like Thinai, Samai, Kuthiraivali etc., Recently I found them in the nearby Indian stores that I really stocked up few Millets and have been making a wide range of dishes out of Millets.
    I tried making Ragi Dosa with whole Ragi Grains and not with Ragi Flour. Earlier attempts with Ragi flour didn't yield me with crispy Dosas which is my mentally satisfying benchmark for Dosa/Adai. So I tried making Ragi Dosa from scratch, by grinding Ragi & Urad Dhal, as of for making normal Dosa and substituting Ragi with Rice. Also, you don't need much of soaking time for this Batter. If you planning this Ragi Dosa for Dinner, you can soak it up first thing in the morning, it just needs a couple of hours for soaking. As the number of ingredients were less, I ground the batter in a Blender. Leave the batter aside to ferment for just 6-8 hours and there you go with a foamy textured batter ready for dinner.
     The climatic condition in the region I live though tropical and hot doesn't felicitate fermentation process. So I usually add Salt to Idli/Dosa/Appam Batter just before making Dosas. Add Salt & thoroughly mix the Batter before making Dosas. Pour a ladle full of Batter over the Dosa Griddle & spread the batter evenly around the Dosa Griddle. Drizzle a few drops of Ghee or Oil and cook until it turns crispy. And there you go with a crispy thin Ragi Dosa ready to be served along with any Chutney or Curry of your choice.

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Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Main Course
Recipe Type - Dosai, Pancake
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 1-2 Hours
Fermenting Time - 6-8 Hours
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

For more RECIPES WITH RAGI/FINGER MILLET, Click here...

HOW TO COOK RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA

RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA

INGREDIENTS :

For Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa Batter :

Ragi/Finger Millet - 2 Cups
Blackgram Dhal/Urad Dhal - 1 Cup
Salt - To Taste
Oil - To drizzle over Dosa

METHOD :

For Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa Batter:

RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA BATTER

Clean, & Wash Ragi/Finger Millet 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
It may contain dust & small particles, make sure to remove them.
Clean & Wash Blackgram Dhal/Urad Dhal 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
Soak Urad Dhal & Ragi/Finger Millet for about 2-3 Hours.
Soak both the ingredients separately.
Drain and grind the soaked Urad Dhal in a Blender/Grinder adding about 1 - 11/2 Cups of cold water at intervals.
Once the Urad Dhal turns fluffy and is ground into a fine paste, remove it from the blender and keep it aside.
Grind the Ragi/Finger Millet in a Blender/Grinder adding about 3/4 - 1Cup of water at intervals.
Grind it into a smooth batter.
Pour the ground Ragi paste to the Urad Dhal and mix it thoroughly.
Leave it aside & Allow the batter to ferment for about 6-8 hours.
Once the batter has fermented, add salt and give a thorough mix.
The fermented batter would have increased in volume and would have a foamy texture.
The batter shouldn't be thick.
The consistency of Ragi Dosa Batter should be like that of a Dosa/Appam Batter.

RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA (FERMENTED BATTER)

How to Cook Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa:

Heat the Dosa Griddle on a high flame and then lower the flame to low.
Smear the Griddle with Oil.
Thoroughly mix the Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa Batter and pour one big ladle of batter over the Dosa Griddle.
Spread the batter evenly around the Dosa Griddle.
Keep the flame at medium-low while cooking Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa.
Drizzle few teaspoons of Oil over the Dosa.
Cook the Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa on a low flame until it is cooked.
Flip the dosa and cook until the Dosa turns into light brown in colour.
Carefully remove the thin & crispy Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa from the griddle.
Serve Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa along with your choice of Chutney/Sambar.
Ragi/Finger Millet Dosa goes well with Coconut Chutneys, Allam Pachadi(Ginger Chutney) Groundnut Chutney etc.,

RAGI DOSA - FINGER MILLET DOSA

NOTES:

The ingredients should be finely ground into a thin batter.
Adding Salt initially slows down the fermentation process, so I usually add it just before making Dosas.
Adjust according to the climatic condition of the region you live in.
If you have any leftover batter leave it in the refrigerator.
Use the batter within two days.
Can also use sprout the Ragi/Finger Millets and then grind it into a batter.

MILLET SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL

Those were the days when people looked forward to eating Rice. Rice was a delicacy to the common man then, and it came to his palate only on special occasions and on festivals. Pongal is one special occasion, a four-day-long festival celebrated at the nook and corner of Tamil Nadu. As Rice is the staple crop grown in South India, along with other local produces comes this divine dish Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal. Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu to commemorate the divinity of the Sun, and its major role in agriculture and cattle rearing. Even the most poor will try to make Sarkkarai Pongal on this day with a handful of Rice. So is the speciality of this harvest festival and the dish Pongal.

Well, coming to recent years, where the folks have turned to eating Millets, Brown Rice etc., the age-old custom of Millet culture is steadily seeping into the kitchens through health conscious minds. This Sarkkarai Pongal recipe is a twist given to the traditional Pongal where Millets are used instead of Rice. I have used Samai or the Little Millet in this recipe. The cooking method remains the same, with just a mild adjustment in Millet Water ratio. I felt that Pongal made with Millets turned out to be softer with a perfect melt in the mouth like texture. It was tastier than the Rice version, and obviously, a healthier version as Millets are rich in Fibre.

MILLET SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL

Though, festivals calls for indulgence and good food, as a norm I would like to prepare Pongal with Rice and Dhal. If you are looking for a twist and a healthier version, then this Millet Sarkkarai Pongal falls gently into the genre. The cooking method is same as how we make Sarkkarai Pongal with Rice, where millet is substituted instead of Rice. Millet and Moong Dhal(Pasi Paruppu) are used to prepare this Sweet Pongal and Jaggery(Cane Sugar) is used to sweeten the dish, which gives the name Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkarai Pongal. Though variant methods are prevalent throughout South India, the major ingredients stick onto the above three major ingredients along with milk, flavoured with cardamoms, dry ginger, edible camphor or clove and garnished with Cashews and Raisins roasted in Ghee.

This Millet Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal recipe is a simple version which can be prepared at home for any occasion/festival. Above all, this Sweet Pongal is a major Naivedhyam/Prasadham served in most of the temples or during Poojas at home. Sarkkarai Pongal/Chakkara Pongal served in temples have a special note of taste and flavour which is quite divine.

MILLET SWEET PONGAL/SARKKARAI PONGAL

You can make this Millet Pongal with any type of Millets(Siru Dhaniyam) like Kodo Millet(Varagu Arisi), Samai (Little MIllet), Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali), Thinai (Foxtail Millet). I have cooked this Millet Pongal in a Pressure Cooker. Samai Water Ratio is 1:3 for this Millet Pongal, and the ratio remains the same for Moong Dhal. And I substitute 1/2 Cup of Water with Milk which yields you with a softer Pongal and yah, don't forget to add an extra bit of Ghee. Can follow the same ratio for Kodo Millet(Varagu Arisi), Thinai (Foxtail Millet) & Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali) too. These Millets are nutritious & it is truly a comfort dish that is so easy to make.

For more PONGAL RECIPES, Click here...

Cuisine - South Indian
Recipe Type - Sweet, Dessert
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes

For more RECIPES WITH MILLET, Click here...