Millets are a group a small, round whole grains grown in India, Nigeria, and other Asian and African countries. Considered an ancient grain, they are used both for human consumption and livestock and bird feed (4, 5 ). They have multiple advantages over other crops, including drought and pest resistance.
Barley is high in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which may reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may also aid weight loss and improve digestion. Whole-grain, hulled barley is more nutritious than refined, pearled barley. It can be substituted for any whole grain and easily added to your diet.
Jasmine rice, also known as Thai fragrant rice, is an aromatic â??long-grainâ?? rice where each grain is about four times as long as it is wide. Jasmine rice comes in a variety of colors. White jasmine rice, in particular, is largely processed and has more nutritional similarities to white rice than to brown jasmine rice.
All-purpose flour is a good source of iron and calcium, as its made up of endosperm of wheat grains. That contains most of the nutritional value, including vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), thiamine and folic acid. It is high in protein, fibre, fat and iron, which play a key role in your overall health.
Cumin (jeera) can be identified by its distinct ridged brown seeds and intense fragrance. Cumin is used to add a distinct smoky note and a robust flavour to most Indian curries. So, it is often used as a whole, to flavour rice, stuffed vegetables, curries and many savoury dishes, and as a powder for puddings and buttermilk.
Saffron (Kesar) is the most expensive spice and it is a colour too. Saffron has a very subtle flavour and aroma. It is used as a culinary seasoning for chicken and meat, biriyani, pulao, etc. It adds taste, colour, and aroma to Indian sweets like Rasmalai, Kesar Pista etc. and flavours kheer, badam milk, saffron milk, etc.
While nutmeg is a shelled dried seed of a plant, mace is a dried netlike covering of the shell of the seed. While nutmeg has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm slightly sweet taste, mace has a more delicate flavour and gives a saffron-like hue to dishes. Both are used as a condiment for sweet products such as baked items, custards, puddings, jellies, etc.