Would you like to try this recipe? (Photo: Shalini Rajani| Designed by Shambhavi Dutta)

This was a Diwali with a difference. Under restricted conditions, we welcomed love and light. It wasn’t like every year, but it surely wasn’t any less either. After eight months of pandemic, this year’s Diwali has allowed us to sit back, relax and take stock of our lives.

I believe if I have to just count all good things about 2020, one gift this year has given to the world is the ‘gift of mindfulness’. It is only this year that I am getting to connect with people from across the world who want to be healthy with mindful choices. I am coming up with a free webinar on November 21 at 10 am (IST) on basics of millets and more, just in case you wish to understand millets from the scratch. You can reach out to my Instagram handle to get the free entry to the webinar. It may help you kick-start your beautiful millet journey without waiting any further.

And today, because we are talking about mindfulness, here’s an effortless lunch platter you would not want to miss cooking during your Diwali winter break. I love bajra (pearl millet) in this season, simply because of the benefits it provides. I make my own millet flours at home and to know why I do that, you must join my free webinar on November 21.

Do try this Sindhi cuisine recipe, bajra dodoh is ideally served with yogurt, I have tried clubbing it with instant Indian gooseberry pickle in my iron wok. Why? Because now I am mindful of my own choices. You will love reading the recipe and trying it, too.

 READ | With a nip in the air, bajra soup makes a comeback in my kitchen

Read more for the step by step recipe and do check my IGTV videos for more clarity.

READ| Let’s light up festivities with bajra diyas; check out the recipe here

Bajra dodoh with amla ki launji (instant pickle)

Bajra has high amounts of fibre and aids digestion. (Photo: Shalini Rajani)

Ingredients (Dodoh)

(Makes 2 dodoh)

• ¾ cup bajra flour (pearl millet flour)
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1 medium green chili (finely chopped)
• ½ tbsp A2 ghee (or cold pressed sesame oil),
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• Rock salt to taste
• Finely chopped fresh green garlic (cannot be missed if available)
• Lukewarm water to knead
• Cold pressed oil or A2 ghee to grease

Method:

1. Take all the ingredients and mix together to form a tight dough. Divide it in two parts.
2. Now grease a hot cast iron pan (or any iron griddle). Moist your hands with water and gently pat one portion of the dough onto the griddle. On medium flame, try spreading it in circular shape with the help of your palm till it attains the size of an Indian flatbread (roti). Grease a bit more and cover it with a plate.
3. After 2-3 minutes, dodoh can be easily flipped; pour a little oil/ghee. Flip it again till you see the surface turning brown and dodoh is being perfectly cooked. Just be careful while flipping (refer to the video).
4. Serve hot with dahi (yogurt) or instant amla pickle as I did.

Instant gooseberry pickle (amla launji)

Gooseberries (amla) are nutritious, low-calorie fruits. (Photo: Shalini Rajani)

Usually, amla is boiled here and a lot of refined sugar is used. I tried to keep it raw, cooked in an iron wok and added palm jaggery instead of white sugar.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams amla/gooseberries
• 1 teaspoon mustard oil
• ¼ cup palm jaggery
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (heeng)
• 1 tbsp black salt

Method:

1. Chop amlas and deseed them.
2. Heat oil in an iron wok and add mustard seeds, methi seeds, and asafoetida.
3. As the mixture crackles, add amla segments, black salt and the dry masalas, mix well.
4. Turn the flame on low and cover the mixture for not more than a minute. Add palm jaggery and mix.
5. As the jaggery melts, continue to stir the mixture and turn the flame off. Allow it to cool.
6. Transfer it to a glass jar. Try consuming this instant pickle within 2-3 days or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
7. Enjoy with hot parathas or millet dodoh.

Health benefits of pearl millet and Indian gooseberry

You cannot miss out on this delicacy! (Photo: Shalini Rajani)

Bajra (pearl millet) offers various health benefits and is a good grain to add in your diet. It has high amounts of fibre and aids digestion. It also lowers your bad cholesterol while increasing the good cholesterol in your system and is, therefore, good for your cardiovascular health. It is rich in antioxidants and can prevent the occurrence of cancer, particularly breast cancer. It can help prevent asthma. It is good for your muscular system and is known for its high vitamin B content, which allows it to break down the carbohydrates and fat in your body. Furthermore, it also helps prevent celiac disease.

Gooseberries (amla) are nutritious, low-calorie fruits that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If you have been following my Instagram stories, you would know that every day my family consumes beetroot amla soup. Will surely post the recipe soon.

The health benefits include lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels, as well as a reduced risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and age-related illnesses of the brain. With good vitamin C, it boosts immunity, too.

(Shalini Rajani is the founder of Crazy Kadchi and as a Millet Coach, she holds innovative Millets Cooking Workshops for all age groups)

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