Ramzan 2025: Follow these 5 easy millet-based recipes to make popular dishes

While some may have the time to travel all the way, others can opt to make the dishes at home

The holy month of Ramzan is underway. During this time, members of the Muslim community are fasting and start their day with sehri (morning meal eaten before the Sun comes up), and end it with iftar (evening meal when the fast is broken). 

Over time, the popularity of Mohammad Ali Road has made many Mumbaikar from different communities relish the food that is made during this time of the year. 

While some may have the time to travel all the way, others can opt to make the dishes at home. Keeping this in mind, Chef Varun Inamdar has curated a special millet-based menu from the Godrej Vikhroli Cucina Millets Cookbook, featuring dishes with recipes that people can follow and make at home.

Gond Katira Falooda

Ingredients:

For the hand-pressed noodles
Corn starch 5 heaped tbsp
Little millets flour 2 heaped tbsp
Water 1 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 tbsp

For the assembly
Milk, chilled 3 cups
Any plant gum of your choice; badam pisin works best 2 tbsp
Nannari syrup/ rose syrup 4 tbsp
Basil seeds, soaked 1 tbsp

Method:
1. In 1/3rd cup water, soak badam pisin (or plant gumof your choice) and keep aside till the hand-pressed noodles are ready
2. Similarly, and separately, keep basil seeds to bloom in 1/3 cup water

For the hand pressed noodles:
1. Grease a noodle press and set aside
2. Fill a container with water and ice cubes and set aside till we are ready with the mixture
3. In a cooking pan, make a lump-free slurry of water, cornflour, little millets flour and sugar
4. Heat the pan on medium flame and keep stirring continuously till the mixture turns transparent and glossy
5. Immediately transfer into the greased mould and press noodles into the iced water
6. Our falooda sev is ready within minutes.

For the assembly:
1. In individual glasses, add our hand-pressed falooda noodles to the bottom of the glass
2. Top with bloomed basil seeds, bloomed badam pisin and the syrup of choice
3. Top with chilled milk
4. Serve chilled

Kodo Chocolate Phirni

Ingredients:
Kodo Millet 100 gm
Milk 1 litre
Sugar 200 gm
Cardamom powder 1/4 tbsp
Chopped nuts 1 tbsp
Dark chocolate, couverture, chopped 1/4 cup
Additionally, milk to adjust consistency 1/4 cup

Method:
1. Dry roast the kodo millet and grind into a fine powder
2. Heat milk with sugar and the kodo millet powder. Stir well
3. Cook on medium flame until the millet gets well cooked
4. Add the remaining milk and chocolate. Stir in chopped nuts and cardamom powder
5. Serve chilled topped with more nuts

Paan Custard 

Ingredients:
Bajra flour 3/4 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Coconut cream 1/2 cup
Milk 2 cups
Paan syrup 3 tbsp OR ready-made maghai paan, ground into a paste 3 nos
Agar agar, soaked in 1/2 cup water 1 tbsp

Method:
1. In a heavy bottomed pan, mix all the ingredients thoroughly till lump-free
2. Cook it on low flame till it the mixture thickens and the flour cooks
3. Strain and transfer mixture in moulds or bowls to set
4. Keep refrigerated. Serve cold.
 
Kodo Millets Fruit Chaat

Ingredients:
Mixed sprouts 1 cup
Kodo millets 1/2 cup
Milk 2 cups
Pineapple, cleaned and diced 1/2 cup
Orange, segmented 1 no
Fresh pomegranate seeds 1/2 cup
Green grapes 1/2 cup
Cucumber, peeled and diced 1/2 cup

Dressing:
Lemon juice 4 tbsp
Chaat masala 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Black salt 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Sesame oil 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Wash kodo millets twice in running water.
2. Transfer in a pressure cook with milk and 1/2 tsp additional salt.
3. Cook for 6 whistles or till they are tender.
4. The milk would have all been absorbed by now. If not, cook it with an open lid on high flame till it does.
5. In a bowl, transfer the cooked millets and all the other ingredients including the ones for the dressing and toss it Your warm salad is ready to eat.
6. You can also serve this salad chilled.

Bajra Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken, curry cut 1 kg
Bajra flour 1/4 cup
Ginger, crushed 1 inch
Water 2 cups
Red chilli powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Wash & drain the chicken and add in all the ingredients excluding water.
2. Transfer all to a pot
3. Heat water and add to the marinated chicken.
4. Cook on medium to high flame.
5. While the chicken gets cooked, keep it covered for the natural fat of the chicken to release.
6. Serve with steamed rice.

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