Millets are our traditional grains which are nothing less than a super-food. With more and more people realizing their high nutritional values and health benefits, they are including millets in their day to day diet as much as possible. There are many people who have replaced rice and wheat with millets and are quite happy about the change. Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice owing to their higher levels of protein, with a more balanced amino acid profile, crude fiber and minerals such as iron, zinc and phosphorous. They also provide nutritional security and act as a shield against nutritional deficiency, especially among children and women.
Payasam or Kheer is an Indian sweet dish which is made in different ways and even called differently in different states. No family celebration seems complete without a payasam or kheer as sweet dish. And if you are looking for some guilt-free indulgence, then this kodo millet payasam is sure to tickle your taste buds. This recipe is very simple to make and doesn’t use any refined sugar.
This payasam recipe was shared by Dr. Varuna Rao, who has a PhD in Food Science and Nutrition, and over 13 years of experience in the field – specializing in target group-based nutrition campaigns, content creation, new product development, consumer insight, menu planning, awareness workshops, wellness related expertise and helps individuals and corporates, embrace healthy regimes. You can reach out to her on her Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/dr.varunarao/.
Kodo Millet Payasam
Course: DessertCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes15
minutes25
minutesAn easy to make, healthy and no sugar payasam/kheer recipe
Ingredients
Ghee – 1-2 tbsp
Dry Fruits (Cashew, almonds, raisins) – a few each
Kodo millet – ½ cup (washed and soaked for a few hours)
Jaggery Powder / Coconut Sugar – 1+1/4 cup
Milk – 2.5 cups
Saffron – 6-7 strands
Salt – a pinch
Directions
- Wash and soak the kodo millet for a couple of hours.
- Add ghee to the kadai and fry the dry fruits. Keep this aside.
- Take a little milk and warm it and add the saffron strands to it. Let it sit for a couple of minutes.
- Into the same kadai in which you fried the dry fruits, add the millet and cook it in the ghee for a minute or two.
- Add the remaining milk and let it come together to a boil.
- Cover it and cook till the millet is cooked well. Keep stirring in between.
- Add the saffron milk, the sugar/jaggery and the salt and let it all cook together on medium flame for a couple of minutes.
- Garnish with the fried dry fruits and serve hot or cold.
