O for Oh-So-Org...

This blog post is part of the A to Z Challenge. This challenge involves writing a blog post on any topic/theme in the order of the alphabets from A-Z. The blog posts have to be written each day through the entire month of April, excluding Sundays. 

My chosen theme is the city of Chennai - sights, sounds, tastes, its happenings, events, and my memories and experiences connected with this place.

O for Organic. Of late, I’ve incorporated organic veggies, snacks and millets into my daily diet. White rice and white bread will always have their place, but they have slid down the ranks of having occupied ‘crowning glory’ positions.

Brown is the new white. So organic millets called Fox Tail Millets, Kodo Millets, and Pearl Millets now occupy pride of place in my kitchen. With funny names such as these, getting cooked by the summer heat in the kitchen doesn’t seem so bad after all. One actually looks forward to hanging out in the kitchen. 

Easy peasy to make (the same way as rice or rotis—flat bread/tortillas), these millets are a great substitute and go with the same stews, side dishes and curries that one normally prepares. Luckily for Chennai-ites, these are easily available in all supermarkets and stores, and are a healthy option at mealtimes. They are grown at farms in and around the State and hence freely accessible and don’t come with a fancy price tag at a premium gourmet organic store, although they are also available there.

No, there is no taste by itself. Then again, nobody really eats plain white rice…err…plain. There is always at least one accompaniment and if you’re Indian, at least 7. There would be vegetables or lentil stews or if nothing else, regular old yoghurt to mix it with.

Like most health food varieties, organic millets stay true to their reputation of being taste-less and evoke reactions like “ptooeeyy!” But they contain fiber and this is something that all of us lack these days, in more ways than one!!

Since they are so bland, there is no limit to their creative use. Try it and let me know what you think!