Sunday 20 March 2016

How to make Millet flour at home / How to make Varagu (Kodo Millet) flour at home

Koda Millet / Varagu is one of our traditional millet variety particularly of south India, though not much used nowadays probably as we forgot its value and health benefits it comes with.

We reside abroad and we don't easily get millets here though it's available nowadays in some Indian stores.  But I haven't yet found millet flour here; so I thought of preparing it on my own at home.

I remembered my mom's method for preparing rice flour at home and applied the same for millet flour as well! I am very much satisfied about the outcome.

You can use this flour for making Idiyappam, murukku etc.. Soon I will try to post some recipes using millet flour.

I hope this post is useful for you all; try and let me know your feedback!

Ingredients:

Varagu / Any millet (thinai, samai, cholam) - 2 cups




Directions:

Wash the millet thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and stones.  Soak it for 30 minutes and drain it completely.
Spread it as a thin layer in a newspaper /  cotton cloth and allow to dry in shade for 1 to 2 hours or till it's almost dry yet slightly moist.   

Add the millets in mixer and grind it to fine powder (do it in batches).
Sieve to get fine powder and collect the remaining millet rava (coarse texture) in the sieve; add it to the next batch while grinding.   Continue the process.

Now your Millet flour is ready to use immediately or you can also store in refrigerator for 1 or 2 days.
(Dry roast before making snacks if necessary for the recipe)

Long term use:

Collect the fine millet flour and dry roast it in low flame for approximately 5 min or till steam comes out of flour.

Switch off the flame and allow to cool by spreading in the newspaper.


Once it is completely cooled; store it the air tight container.
Note:


If you are going to grind in large quantity, then grinding in a mill is preferable to get fine powder and it helps to save time as well!

You can use the remaining millet rava which we collected in sieve, to prepare upma or add while grinding for idli / dosa.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you so very much for this method, Poornima. Will add the flour to chapati dough as well.

    Only one suggestion, do not dry on newspaper.It has newsprint which has lead and is harmful for the body. Plus God only knows where all that newspaper has travelled and touched by what kind of hands. Buy a thin calico or other cotton thoratu/towel from anywhere even Fabinda. Keep 4-5 such towels exclusive for vegetable and grain use. Takes all of 1 tsp detergent liquid and one minute to wash and hang out.

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  2. Awesome Poornima, I'm going to try as we don't get millet flour... i have a few packs of whole millet which i brought from India, so sure will give it a try! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  3. thank u, pls provide recipes using millet

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  4. How do you make sour millet bread?

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  5. Great Blog! Millet foods support healthy and regular digestion Mixed Millet can contain more antioxidants and nutrients than regular food.

    ReplyDelete

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