Ways to include Bajra in your winter diet and their benefits

Bajra, sometimes referred to as Pearl Millet, is a member of the millet family and is a very well-liked grain in India. Because it gives the body the much-needed warmth, it is primarily ingested in the winter. Bajra is devoid of gluten, easy to digest, and light on the stomach.

It is a nutritious powerhouse that contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin, folic acid, thiamine, niacin, beta carotene, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and amino acids.

They are also a rich source of fibre, which makes it highly beneficial for those with cholesterol because of its cholesterol-lowering properties. Since the grain is light on the stomach, it can be the go-to grain for those dealing with stomach ulcers and acidity.

Following are the ways in which you can incorporate Bajra to your diet.

Bajra Roti
Just like you make Wheat Rotis, bajra flour can be used to make Bajra Rotis. Take bajra flour in a bowl and knead it with warm water. Do add a tablespoon of ghee while kneading the dough to make the rotis soft and fluffy.

Khichdi
Bajra Khichdi is a healthy one-pot recipe that can be prepared using pearl millet and a variety of vegetables. For ½ cup of bajra, you need to add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on a medium flame. Vegetables like onions, capsicum, peas, carrot etc can be added.

Bajra Upma
Bajra must first be overnight soaked before making the upma. Simply prepare the traditional tadka by combining mustard seeds, dry red chilli, curry leaves, urad dal, and crushed peanuts. Then, add the cooked bajra and some water to the mixture. Serve the mixture hot after cooking until it reaches the consistency of an upma.

Bajra Idli
1 cup of bajra, 1/4 cup of rice idli, and 1/4 cup of urad dal are required to make bajra idlis. Each of these ingredients has to soak alone for six hours. To make a batter, simply grind each ingredient separately while adding a little water. The final batter, which is a combination of all the three batters, should ferment for 12 hours.  Later, you can use this batter to make steamed idlis.

Bajra Laddoo
Bajra Laddoo is a super simple recipe that you can make with just 3 ingredients. You need ¾ cup bajra flour, ¼ cup powdered jaggery and 4-5 tablespoons of ghee. In a bowl, mix bajra flour with powdered jaggery. Now heat ghee in a pan until it melts. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee at a time to the mixture and mix using your hands. Keep adding and mixing till the mixture binds together. Now just pinch out small balls from the mixture and roll them between your hands to make laddoos. You can also add nuts of your choice to make the laddoos richer.