These power-packed cupcakes actually contain a lot of nutrition as compared to the same portion of any other starter.Millets are perched on the cusp of revival. These tiny grains once had pride of place in Indian kitchens but as our preferences for rice, wheat and even refined flour took over in 80s, they almost disappeared from our menus. Thankfully, culinary workshops, restaurants and even some recipe books are dedicated themselves to promoting our ancient grains for their nutritional benefits and sustainable production.
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I do my own little experiments with millets and superfoods and share it with the world in the form of healthy culinary workshops. Recently, I organised a Millet Starters workshop where I prepared a variety of starters, including baked Spring Rolls, Millet Sushi, Millet Salads, etc. But out of all, one dish that was loved and was polished off in seconds were these Spicy Millet cupcakes served with regular sweet and sour chutneys.
These power-packed cupcakes actually contain a lot of nutrition as compared to the same portion of any other starter.
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Read more to know about the healthy ingredients that have gone into it, followed by its step-by-step recipe. Do try making these Spicy Millet Cupcakes at home and let us know if your loved ones enjoyed this spicy surprise.
SPICY MILLET CUPCAKES
Ingredients
Makes 9 cupcakes
1 cup – Pre-roasted Barley Sattu
1 cup – Steamed and pureed Yellow Pumpkin
1tsp – Red Chilli Flakes
1/2tsp – Ginger (grated)
1/2tsp – Green Chillies (finely chopped)
1/4 cup – Curry leaves (finely chopped)
A pinch of Garam Masala powder
A pinch of Asafoetida (heeng)
1/3 cup – Cow ghee (melted)
2tbsp – Flaxmeal Egg Replacer
Salt to taste
2tsp – Baking powder
Method
*To begin making the Spicy Cupcakes, preheat oven at 180 C and grease and dust the muffin pan.
*Measure two tablespoons of flax meal along with 6 tablespoons of water. Stir well and let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes. This process of resting helps the flax meal mixture develop a gelatinous consistency similar to eggs. Please note that Flaxmeal is nothing but pre-roasted and powdered Flaxseeds.
*In a large mixing bowl, beat the Flaxmeal mixture and Cow Ghee until light fluffy. Add Barley sattu, Pumpkin puree, baking powder and rest of the spices and salt. Mix well until combined. Add a few drops only if required.
*Spoon the batter into the muffin pan. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
*Once done, remove from the oven and allow cupcakes to settle. Serve warm with dips of your choice.
Please note: You can replace pumpkin with any other seasonal steamed vegetable like bottle gourd, raw banana, beetroot or even sweet potatoes. As Sattu tends to absorb water and dries out easily, make sure you add a little water to attain the correct consistency of the cupcake batter.
Health benefits of Barley Sattu, Pumpkin and Flaxseeds
Barley Sattu is rich in vitamin B, potassium, selenium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants and fibre. Popular in Ayurveda for its cooling effects on the body, it has very low glycemic index making it perfect for weight loss regimes.
Steamed or raw vegetables like pumpkin are rich in fibre, colour, texture and flavour. It also helps in preserving the water-soluble B and C vitamins, potassium, phosphorus and zinc so that one can gain the important nutrients from boiled vegetables. Steaming sustains 90 per cent of the antioxidants present in fresh vegetables.
Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acid and fibre. Along with numerous health benefits, flaxseeds powder can be used to improve digestive health, lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, reduce the risk of cancer and may benefit people with diabetes.
Shalini Rajani is the founder of Crazy Kadchi and holds innovative and healthy cooking workshops for all age groups.
