Quick and easy meals are a saviour, with the Indian summer lingering over our heads. You don’t need to spend hours slaving over a stove to make a delicious and healthy meal. 

In my earlier post, I had made a Barley salad with BBQ Paneer. In this post, I’m working with millets. Lunches like these are light on the stomach but pack a punch in nutritional value are also great to pack for the school or office. They don’t need to be re-heated either.

I don’t enjoy cooking. It doesn’t relax or de-stress me. Those who say it does probably don’t have to cook every day! Try this easy peasy recipe and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

To make 2 servings

• 1 cup Millet (I used foxtail millet)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp oil
• 3-4 pieces brinjal (chopped or sliced)
• ½ cup mixed vegetables of choice (broccoli, peas, carrots, baby corn, etc)
• ½ mint leaves chopped
• Handful of chopped walnuts
• ½ cup feta cheese (make it vegan by using vegan cheese or soft silken tofu)
• Salt to taste

Method

• Wash and soak the millets for a few hours in water. Drain the water.
• Add 2 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt and bring it to boil. Lower the heat and cook till the grains are soft. Drain excess water if any.
• In a pan or wok, heat 2 tbsp of the oil. Add the brinjal and cook till soft, sprinkle with salt, and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and the rest of the veggies. Don’t overcook. 
• In a mixing bowl, bring all the cooked ingredients together with the mint, walnuts, and feta cheese.

Millets are nutrition dense and an excellent substitute for your regular wheat and rice grains. They are gluten-free and contain high protein, fibre, and antioxidants. These properties also make them easier to digest. 

There are various varieties of millets offering a range of nutritional benefits. It is also easier to grow even in arid lands.

Millets can be very versatile. You can grind them into flour to make flatbreads, or add cooked millets in your salads to make it into a full meal, make porridges and stews, or just replace it with rice in your regular meals.

Find out more about different varieties of millets here.