Kodo Millet Rice (வரகரிசி சாதம்)

Millets are ancient grains that are rich in fiber and minerals, and were consumed by our ancestors as staple foods for centuries. Kodo millet (வரகு) is a type of little millet that is rich in dietary fiber and minerals like calcium and iron. Nutritional content of Kodo millet is outlined below.

Kodo Millet - Nutrition per 100 gms
Energy	302 Kcal
Protein	8.3 gm
Carbohydrate	69.9 gm
Fiber	8.5 gm
Calcium	22 mg
Iron	9.9 mg

You can cook kodo millet as you would cook white rice and consume it instead of rice. Let us proceed with making kodo-millet rice (வரகரிசி சாதம்) using an electric rice cooker.

Ingredients:

Kodo millet - 1 cup

Water - 2½ cups

Method: Millets have more impurities than rice and they need to be cleaned thoroughly before cooking. Wash kodo millet several times with water till the draining water is clear. Pour enough water to cover the millet and allow it to soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water and transfer the soaked millet to the rice cooker pan. Add 2½ cups of fresh water and cover with the rice cooker lid. Switch on the rice cooker and set the switch to "Cook" mode. Kodo millet cooks faster than rice. Once cooked, the switch automatically moves to "Warm" mode. Let it stay in the "Warm" mode for 10 minutes before serving the millet rice. You can serve millet rice with sambar or rasam along with poriyal or kootu.

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Omapodi (ஓமப்பொடி)

Omapodi (ஓமப்பொடி) is a basic item used for making many savories such as the quintessential "mixture". It is also used widely as a topping or essential ingredient for many chat items. It is called omapodi because omam (ஓமம்) or caraway seeds or ajwain is used to add flavor to this savory. Traditionally, omapodi is deep fried in oil, but I bake it with minimal oil using the air fryer. Let us see how to make it.

Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour or besan - 120 ml measure

Rice flour - 60 ml measure

Salt - ¼ teaspoon or to taste

Red chili powder - ¼ teaspoon
Ajwain or omam - ⅛ teaspoon, crushed 

Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon

Method: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Add enough water to make a pliable dough and divide it into 2 equal parts. keep aside.

Smear the baking tray with oil. Choose the sieve with small holes and fix it to the bottom of  the kitchen press (as shown in the image below); place a dough ball in the outer part of kitchen press and using the inner part press the dough through the sieve holding the handles with your hands on either side and move your hands in circles over the baking tray. 

Air fry at 180℃ for 6 minutes. Take out the tray, turn the omapodi over and bake for another 6 minutes or till the omapodi is light brown in color. Transfer the baked omapodi to a tray and allow it to cool. 

Pass the remaining dough ball through the kitchen press and bake the omapodi in the same manner. Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.

You can crush the omapodi into smaller pieces and use it to make chats. Alternatively you can serve omapodi as a snack with tea or coffee.

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