Food Talk: Millet sweet takes centrestage

I had the good fortune of spending an extended weekend at Anand Kashi, a tranquil resort run by the Taj group (IHCL) on the banks of river Ganga, near Rishikesh. It has many charms, not the least its emphasis on ‘farm to fork’ local produce. No compromise is made on taste and the Garhwali thali can tickle even the most jaded palate. The enchanting sweet dish jangoore ki kheer combines incredibly a rabri-like consistency with the lightness of phirni. It had a tint of saffron and was garnished with assorted chopped nuts and raisins.

Now, in the villages of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Nepal, a creamy, no-frills jangoore ki kheer has long been indispensable on the traditional thali, but this was in a different league. This place once served as the Hunting Lodge of the ‘Tehri Naresh’ and it surprised us that even the commoners’ staples were elevated to sublime heights to create dainty dishes, fit enough to be put before the king!

Jangoora, the child of Himalayan highlands, has suddenly taken centrestage. Till recently, this grain-pseudo cereal — commonly known as samak ke chawal — came to the rescue of those who fasted ritually to gain merit, but were tormented by pangs of hunger. It was used as a substitute for prohibited rice and various kosher dishes were prepared with it. Ever since the Prime Minister renamed millets as Shri Anna, the millets — once looked down upon as poor folk’s coarse food — have become glamorous, donning an aura of superfoods. Jangoora, aka barnyard millet, has, like its cousins, been transformed from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan.

Nutritionists, the first to sense the rising tide of favourable public response, have lost no time in reassuring us that jangoora is full of natural goodness. It has much greater protein content than the polished rice we eat. It is free of gluten. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals that our body requires. It may not be a magic bullet to cure all that ails our bodies, but it can’t be denied that it is very good for health. What makes it even more attractive is that it cooks far more easily than some other millets.

Jangoore ki kheer

Ingredients

Jangoora/barnyard millet 1 cup

Milk (full cream) 2 litres

Desiccated coconut 1/2 cup

Green cardamoms 4

(Else, green cardamom powder) 1/2 tsp

Sugar 1/2 cup (or more to taste)

Saffron 1/2 tsp

Rose water 1 tsp

Mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios) 2 tbsp

Raisins 1 tbsp

Ghee 1 tbsp

Rose petals A few

Method

• Wash the jangoora gently twice before soaking in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Then drain the water and keep aside.
• Soak the saffron in rose water and keep aside till needed.
• Coarsely pound the cardamoms.
• Heat ghee in a pan and lightly fry the nuts and raisins.
• Bring the milk to boil in a thick-bottomed pan on medium flame, stirring in between to avoid burning at the bottom. Continue to boil the milk till it is reduced to almost half of its original volume. This may take about 20 minutes.
• Scrape the clotted cream from the side and put it back in the milk. Continue stirring.
• Now add the jangoora, along with desiccated coconut and sugar. Stir gently to blend.
• Sprinkle the pounded cardamom and saffron soaked in rose water.
• Simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame. Switch off the gas and take the pan off the stove.
• Garnish with chopped nuts and raisins. Scatter well-washed rose petals just before serving chilled.
• You may omit the desiccated coconut if you prefer a thinner consistency.
• The rural recipe employed crumbled jaggery and some people harbour the misconception that it is the healthier option. Watch out! Honey or jaggery — sugar is sugar is sugar.
• Jaggery, to our mind, lends the kheer its brown complexion and dilutes the kesariya hue. Lactose in the milk is enough to sweeten our lives.