Bajra / Millet roti or bajra bhakri

Bajra / Millet roti or bajra bhakri is gluten free flat Indian bread made from millet / bajra flour.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 3 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Course: Bread

Serves: 6 small flat rotes / breads

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bajra /millet flour
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 level tsp salt or / as per taste
• 1 tsp cumin seed, roasted and powdered
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 onion, medium size, finely chopped
• 1 cup hot water
• some bajra / millet flour for dusting
• Olive oil / pure ghee for frying rotes

Method:

Step 1.

In a pan heat the water and keep aside.

Step 2.

In a mixing bowl, take the bajra / millet flour add salt, red chili powder, cumin seed powder, onions and coriander leaves. With the hot water knead the mixture into a smooth ,soft dough.

Step 3.

Divide the dough into six equal portions. Dust with flour the rolling board and roll each portion into 3″ disc/ roti/ flat bread.

Step 4.

Heat a griddle / tava on a medium flame, carefully transfer each rolled disc/ roti/ flat bread disc on to the hot tava / griddle.

Step 5.

Cook one side of the roti, flip and cook the other side. Put some ghee on the disc/ roti/ flat bread and fry slowly then flip a couple of times and cook till golden brown spots appear on both sides of the disc/ roti/ flat bread and it is well cooked. (fry the bajra rotis like parathas)

Step 6.

Fry all the disc/ roti/ flat bread one by one and stack all the rotis in a small bread basket or a casserole. Serve bajra roti / disc/ flat bread hot with a stuffed brinjals/ egg plants/ aubergines as side dish and dhaba dal (Sabut urad/ black gram whole with Bengal gram dal/ chana dal).

Health Benefits of Millet:

Millet is more than just an interesting alternative to the more common grains. Our food ranking system qualified it as a good source of some very important nutrients, including copper, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Heart-Protective Properties

Although oats have been widely publicized for their heart-protective properties, millet is a grain that should also be included on your list of heart-healthy choices because of its status as a good source of magnesium. Magnesium has been shown in studies to reduce the severity of asthma and to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Magnesium has also been shown to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack, especially in people with atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease.

Development and Repair of Body Tissue

The phosphorus provided by millet plays a role in the structure of every cell in the body. In addition to its role in forming the mineral matrix of bone, phosphorus is an essential component of numerous other life-critical compounds including adenosine triphosphate or ATP, the molecule that is the energy currency of the body. Phosphorus is an important component of nucleic acids, the building blocks of the genetic code. In addition, the metabolism of lipids (fats) relies on phosphorus, and phosphorus is an essential component of lipid-containing structures such as cell membranes and nervous system structures.

Millet and Other Whole Grains Substantially Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Millet and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body’s use of glucose and insulin secretion.

The FDA permits foods that contain at least 51% whole grains by weight (and are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol) to display a health claim stating consumption is linked to lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Now, research suggests regular consumption of whole grains also reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. (van Dam RM, Hu FB, Diabetes Care).

In this 8-year trial, involving 41,186 particpants of the Black Women’s Health Study, research data confirmed inverse associations between magnesium, calcium and major food sources in relation to type 2 diabetes that had already been reported in predominantly white populations.

Risk of type 2 diabetes was 31% lower in black women who frequently ate whole grains compared to those eating the least of these magnesium-rich foods. When the women’s dietary intake of magnesium intake was considered by itself, a beneficial, but lesser—19%—reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes was found, indicating that whole grains offer special benefits in promoting healthy blood sugar control. Daily consumption of low-fat dairy foods was also helpful, lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. Enjoy a hearty breakfast and get the benefits of both millet and dairy by serving a hot bowl of millet topped with low-fat milk and your favorite dried fruit, nuts or seeds.

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Helps Prevent Gallstones

Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as millet, can help women avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Studying the overall fiber intake and types of fiber consumed over a 16 year period by over 69,000 women in the Nurses Health Study, researchers found that those consuming the most fiber overall (both soluble and insoluble) had a 13% lower risk of developing gallstones compared to women consuming the fewest fiber-rich foods.

Those eating the most foods rich in insoluble fiber gained even more protection against gallstones: a 17% lower risk compared to women eating the least. And the protection was dose-related; a 5-gram increase in insoluble fiber intake dropped risk dropped 10%.

How do foods rich in insoluble fiber help prevent gallstones? Researchers think insoluble fiber not only speeds intestinal transit time (how quickly food moves through the intestines), but reduces the secretion of bile acids (excessive amounts contribute to gallstone formation), increases insulin sensitivity and lowers triglycerides (blood fats). Abundant in all whole grains, insoluble fiber is also found in nuts and the edible skin of fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers, many squash, apples, berries, and pears. In addition, beans provide insoluble as well as soluble fiber.

Fiber from Whole Grains and Fruit Protective against Breast Cancer

When researchers looked at how much fiber 35,972 participants in the UK Women’s Cohort Study ate, they found a diet rich in fiber from whole grains, such as millet, and fruit offered significant protection against breast cancer for pre-menopausal women. (Cade JE, Burley VJ, et al., International Journal of Epidemiology).

Ref.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=53#healthbenefits