Coconut Millet Recipe (Variation on Coconut Rice)

Rajan loves cooking dishes from his native Indian cuisine. He likes to share his favourite recipes with his online readers.

Unlike what many people might think, millets are not just bird feed. Millets are ancient grains that have been consumed by humans for thousands of years, especially before wheat and rice became popular all over the globe.

Today's recipe is a variation on coconut rice, though instead of rice we are using kodo millet. Kodo millet is one of the five traditional millets that have been researched extensively in India.

This is a very unique dish. I hope you give it a try and share your feedback!

Cook Time

Ingredients

To boil the millet:

• 3/4 cup kodo (kodra) millet, soaked in 3 cups of water for 8 hours
• 1 tsp cold-pressed oil, preferably coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)

For preparing the dish:

• 2 tbsp cold-pressed oil, preferably coconut oil
• 1 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 tsp chana dal (split and skinned bengal gram)
• 2 tsp urad dal (split and skinned black gram)
• 2 tbsp cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp raw peanuts
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 fresh whole red chillies
• 1 fresh green chilli
• 15-20 kadhi patta (curry leaves)
• 1/4 tsp heeng (asafoetida powder)
• 1/2 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
• 1 1/2 cups grated fresh coconut
• 2 tbsp chopped hara dhania (cilantro)

Instructions

1. Put the millet soaking water in a kadhai and let it come to a boil on medium heat; then reduce the heat to low. Add the soaked millet, oil and salt. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook until the water dries out and the millet is cooked (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a kadhai on medium heat; then reduce the heat to low. Add in the rai and jeera and let them crackle.
3. Add in the chana dal and urad dal. Fry for 30 seconds, then add in the peanuts and cashew nuts. Stir until the nuts turn a little brown.
4. Add in the ginger paste, red and green chillies, kadhi patta and asafoetida. Stir-roast for 30 seconds.
5. Add the sendha namak and grated coconut and mix well. Stir-roast for 1 minute.
6. Add the boiled kodo millet and hara dhania and mix well. Stir for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.
7. Kodo millet coconut rice is ready to serve.

Millet Coconut Rice Recipe

© 2021 Rajan Singh Jolly