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Masala millet is rich in flavorful spices to support metabolism, as well as greens that support peristalsis for easier bowel movement.
This dish is gently spiced with cardamom, a mucus destroyer, and a spice masala.
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Spice masala refers to a combination of spices blended together.
You can purchase an Ayurvedic spice masala, or use garam masala if that’s what you have on hand. I share more information on spice masalas in the recipe notes.
This recipe comes from Vaidya Misha, the founder of SV Ayurveda, which has a rich point of view on Ayurvedic cooking.
Masala millet comes together in about 20 minutes, giving you both cooked greens and a grain ready to eat.
I really enjoy this dish, so I am sharing it with you.
The Ayurvedic health benefits of millet
With a history of cultivation that traces back over 10,000 years, millet is an essential gluten-free, fiber-rich grain for humanity.
Millet is highly drought tolerant, suggesting its importance to our future food supply.
However, with the widespread adoption of wheat over the last century, millet has largely fallen out of favor. In fact, most people in the United States have probably never tried it.
This is a true shame, particularly for Kapha and Pitta types who would benefit the most from millet’s sweet, astringent, light, warming, and drying qualities.
>> Don’t know your dosha? Take my free dosha quiz to find out.
Millet is diuretic (drying), and cleanses the blood by helping to remove toxins.
Millet is higher in protein than rice, which is positive, but that means it’s also a little heavier to digest than rice.
For this reason, you want to cook your millet with spices and healthy fats to help with assimilation.
Masala Millet with Leafy Greens
Equipment
- Small saucepan – 1.75 qt.
Ingredients
for the millet
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup millet
- 1/2 tablespoon ghee
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder (sub with 3 cardamom pods, smashed)
- 1 cup asparagus (stems and tips chopped into 1-inch pieces and separated) OR 4 cups leafy greens, such as Swiss Chard, kale, spinach, etc. chopped
for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala or Mom’s Masala (see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
for the millet
- Combine water, millet, ghee and cardamom in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Decide if using asparagus OR greens. For asparagus, add chopped asparagus stems on top of the millet and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the tips and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the asparagus is soft. For greens: Add chopped greens and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the greens are soft.
- Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the sauce.
for the sauce
- Combine the ghee, lime, masala, and salt in a small bowl.
- Stir the sauce into the millet and greens. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Masala Options
Mom’s Masala is a product that was formulated by Vaidya RK Mishra. It is a spice mixture that has all 6 tastes, and a neutral-to-warm thermal flavor. You’ll notice the spices are added in this recipe at the end. Generally spices must be cooked to bring out their flavor and medicinal properties, but all of the spices in Mom’s Masala are pre-toasted, so it isn’t necessary to cook them. BUY Mom’s Masala here Garam masala is a good substitute, since garam masala spices are also pre-toasted. Garam masala is going to add more heat and pungency to your dish, since it typically contains cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, bay leaf, etc. BUY Garam Masala hereOptional add-in
Vaidya Mishra included fresh green chili in the sauce- 1/2 teaspoon green chili or jalapeño, finely chopped
