Top chefs add climate-hardy millet to menu

Chef Vikram Kharkwal of Red Ginger, a casual dining restaurant in Nairobi’s Parklands, is among the few showcasing the culinary skills of adding millet to produce gastronomic delights.

His slow-roasted lamb tacos served with lime crema dish are a feast for the stomach and the eye.

Chef Kharkwal’s delicacies are part of the Indian High Commission’s move to showcase the versatility of the millet grain.

The creative infusion of the wonder grain in local and foreign cuisines was on display during a week-long expo held by the High Commission of India in Nairobi.

The versatility was awe-inspiring, from millet-infused starters to salads, main courses, and even desserts.

While millet is a staple in both countries, the Indians showed how much more it could be infused into meals at home and in hotels.

The High Commission flew in two chefs with a profound grasp of the crop for the showcase.

“In India, this is a grain commonly grown by the farmer. As chefs, it is our responsibility to grow and create multiple recipes out of it, and that’s why you see various cuisines created out of it, whether it’s a soup, a salad, a dessert, or a main course,” Vaibhav Bhargava, a chef at Chô- Vietnamese Kitchen & Bar in New Delhi told the Business Daily.

Bhargava vouches for millet as a versatile ingredient, highlighting its infusion in world-famous food pieces, including pizzas and Mexican tacos.

“Millet can be incorporated into Kenyan cuisines too. Instead of limiting it to porridge, one can use millet to make ugali. Any cuisine can have millet as long as the chef applies some creativity,” he added.

As an alternative to wheat and maize flour, millet is considered healthier, given its organic and gluten-free properties.

Manoj Prajapat has been working as a chef in Udaipur, India, and is the co-founder of Millets of Mewar, a restaurant specialising in millet-based dishes in what is his hometown.

For Manoj, the health benefits of millet make the grain stand out in preparing everyday meals.

“One just has to try it out. Millet benefits not just individuals but also nature. This is way better than whole wheat and even corn,” he said.

Manoj has been experimenting with healthy food since 2005 alongside his restaurant co-founder and travelled across India, taking inspiration from locals before embarking on the journey to create recipes.

Millets of Mewar launched in October 2011 after a series of experiments, including catering for events, hosting food festivals, and running a food cart business.

Both chefs hope millet-inspired delicacies can find a home in a variety of dishes and in a variety of styles.

Year of Millets

“Millet can go into different cuisines. One can, for instance, make a burger using millet,” Bhargava pointed out.

For Kenyans, millet is synonymous with porridge, a popular drink. But apart from its incorporation in making ugali- another popular local cuisine- millet’s uses stop at that for most.

The United Nations General Assembly, in its 75th session in March 2021, declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, with the push being seen as an opportunity to raise awareness of and direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets and their sustainability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions.

The ability of millet to grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and its resilience to changes in climate is therefore seen as the ideal solution for countries to increase self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported cereals.

Millet production

Between 2018 and 2022, millet production averaged 1.08 million- 90 kg bags, with production in 2022 at 700,000-90kg bags, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

The average price of the grain has been on the incline, rising from a low Sh86.54 per kilo in September 2019 for finger millet to Sh125.80 in September last year.

There are an estimated 10 types of millets, including sorghum millet, pearl, foxtail, finger, fonio, buckwheat, browntop, amaranth, kodo and little millet, with each type being preferred for specific use in the creation of dishes.

Sorghum millet is, for instance, used mainly in baking and is preferred mostly for flatbreads and cakes.

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