Bajra, or pearl millet, is a hardy, nutty-tasting grain grown in dry, hot regions. Its flour makes the rustic flatbread called bajra bhakri, a winter favorite in parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Botanical name
- Pennisetum glaucum
- Type
- Cereal grain (millet), naturally gluten-free
- Grown in
- Dry regions of India and Africa, among others
- Flavor
- Earthy, nutty, slightly sweet
- Used for
- Bhakri, rotla, porridge, khichdi
History
Millets are among the oldest cultivated grains. Pearl millet is generally thought to have been domesticated in the Sahel region of West Africa and then spread to India thousands of years ago, where it thrived in dry land where wheat and rice struggle. It remains an important food grain in many dry regions today.
Where it is used most
In India, bajra flour is used for bhakri in Maharashtra, rotla in Gujarat and rajasthani rotis, often eaten warm with ghee, jaggery, garlic chutney or thecha, and with spicy vegetable dishes. It is also cooked into porridge and khichdi.
How to cook with it
Bajra flour has no gluten, so dough does not stretch like wheat dough and the flatbread breaks easily. Knead it with hot water into a soft dough and pat it by hand rather than rolling. Cook on a hot griddle (tawa) and puff over a flame.
Buying, storing and substitutes
Buy fresh flour, since millet flour has natural oils and turns bitter when old. Store in an airtight container in a cool place, or refrigerate in hot weather. Jowar (sorghum) flour is the nearest substitute, though the taste is milder.
Good to know
Bajra is naturally gluten-free, but check the packaging if you must avoid gluten, as flour can be processed alongside wheat.
Recipes that use it
Photo credit: Ranjeet Chauhan on Pexels.