Recipes from Prose Millet

Prose Millet

Scientific name: Panicum miliaceum (L.)

Hindi name: Barree; Telugu name: Varigalu.

Proso millet is a short season crop that grows in low rainfall areas. This millet can be cultivated along with red gram, maize and sorghum. it releases energy over a longer period of time after consumption allowing one to work from morning to evening without getting tired. The same is not true with rice. This has much protein crude fiber, minerals and calcium.

Health benefits of proso millet comes from its unique properties. It is completely gluten free and has significant amounts of carbohydrate and fatty acids. It is cheaper source of manganese as compared to other conventional sources like spices and nuts. It contains high amounts of calcium which is essential for bone growth and maintenance. It has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and also reduce the risk of heart diseases. It also prevents breast cancer among other diseases.

Proso Millet Rawa Idli

Ingredients: Proso millet idli rawa- 1 cup, urad dal – 1 cup and salt – to taste.

Preparation Method:

• Soak urad dal in water for 4-6 hr and drain out the water and grind it.
• To the batter, add one cup of proso millet idli rawa, salt and allow to ferment overnight.
• Pour out the batter into idli moulds and cook in idli cooker for 7- 10 min.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Proso Millet Khaja

Ingredients: Proso millet flour – ½ cup, maida– ½ cup, sugar – ½ tsp and oil– for frying.

Preparation Method:

• Prepare dough with proso millet flour and maida. Add smallquantity of hot oil while dough making.
• Roll the roti from the dough into 1 inch thickness and roll into the center.
• Cut the roll into small shapes (khajas).
• Add sugar to water and boil till single thread consistency.
• Fry the prepared khaja in oil.
• Excess oil is drained and put it on tissue paper.
• Add the prepared khajas in sugar and soak for 5 min and serve.

Proso Millet Burfi

Ingredients: Proso millet flour - 1 cup, powdered jaggery - ½ cup, ghee - 2 tsp, water- ¼ cup, cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp and sliced almonds - 1 tsp.

Preparation Method:

• Grease a plate with ghee and keep it aside.
• Heat the jaggery in a pan with ¼ cup of water till single thread consistency. Keep it aside.
• Add little ghee in a pan and add proso millet flour and fry until nice aroma comes.
• Then add the jaggery syrup and cardamom powder and mix it quickly.
• Add remaining ghee and stir continuously for 2-3 min or till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
• Spread it in a greased plate and garnish with chopped nuts. Allow it to cool down and cut them in to small pieces.
• Healthy and yummy proso millet burfi is ready.

Proso Millet Samosa

Ingredients: Proso millet flour – 1 cup, maida – 1 cup, potatoes – 1 cup, boiled peas, onions, green chillies and curry leaves.

Preparation Method :

• Take one cup of proso millet flour and one cup of maida. Mixwell and add required amount of water to make dough.
• Make small chapatti balls and spread the dough with roller stick and cut in to half’s.
• Mash boiled potatoes, add chopped onions, green chilies and curry leaves.
• Make seasoning with chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves and boiled mashed potatoes, boiled peas and salt to taste.
• Fill the above mixture in each half fold in triangular shape and deep fry.
• Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

Proso Millet Payasam

Ingredients: Dehulled proso millet - 1 cup, dry fruits, ghee, water, sugar, milk, cardamom powder– as required.

Preparation Method:

• Cook the dehulled proso millet in boiling water for 5 min.
• Roast dry fruits in ghee.
• Boil the milk and then add the cooked millet, add sugar and stir slowly for 10-15 minutes until it is cooked.
• Add cardamon powder and decorate with cashew nuts and other dry fruits.
• Serve hot as a traditional sweet.

Proso Millet Cheese Balls

Ingredients : Proso millet flour-100g, Maida-10g, Potato-6g, Carrot-6g, Chilli-6 nos,Ginger paste-5g, Corn flour-80, Salt - 3g, Cheese-40, Bread powder-20g, Vegetables oil - for deep frying.

Preparation Method:

• Boil carrot, potatoes in cooker and mash.
• Add finely chopped green chilies, salt, ginger garlic paste, corn flour and proso millet flour and mix well.
• Mix corn flour in water and keep it aside.
• Make cheese pieces.
• Take potato, carrot and proso millet mixture, make small balls, and flatten balls with cheese pieces.
• Dip these balls in corn flour water batter and roll in bread crumbs.
• Keep all these cheese balls in fridge for 20 mins.
• Deep fry and serve hot with tomato sauce and pudina chutney.

Proso Millet Manchuria

Ingredients : Proso millet flour - 100g, Maida - 100g, Corn flour-165g, Vinegar-5g, soya sauce-5g, Red chilli sauce-5g, Tomato sauce -5g, Red chilli powder-5g, Cabbage - 250g, Onion -1, Green Chillies-5, Capsicum - 1, Carrot-1, French Beans-6, Ginger Garlic Paste-2g, Coriander for garnishing, salt for taste, Food color-one pinch.

Preparation Method:

• Cut all the vegetables in very small piece, add little salt and boil in water.
• Squeeze water garlic paste, salt, chilli powder, soya sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar, food color, maida, corn flour, and proso millet flour.
• Mix well and make balls and deep fry on low flame.
• Heat oil, add chopped carrot, cabbage, onion, green chilles and add chilli, tomato and soya sauce to this mix.
• Add 1 tsp of corn flour in 1/2 cup water with above vegetable mix.
• Lastly add Manchurian balls to this, mix well and serve hot.

Proso Millet Shankarpala

Ingredients : Proso millet rawa-100g, Maida-100g, Ghee-20g, Sugar powder-80g, Milk-150ml, Salt-2g, and Oil - for deep frying.

Preparation Method:

• Boil water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves.
• Add prose millet rawa, maida and milk, knead into a soft pliable dough.
• Divide dough into 4 parts.
• Roll into chappatis 1/3 thick.
• Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes.
• Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour.
• Deep fry in hot oil over a low flame till it turns light golden brown.
• Store in clean, dry containers.

Source :

Millet Recipes - IIMR, Hyderabad

Millet Recipes - Department of Agriculture, Karnataka