Hyderabad: “Good food leads to good thoughts and good thoughts lead to good society,” the quote adorns the wall of ‘Modati Mudda’, the newest complete millet kitchen in the city.
Minimalism is the motto of this restaurant. Its modest décor and seating arrangement, the charm of the rural style of cooking, which is simple and extraordinarily tasty, and the way the food is served, creates a cozy atmosphere. No artificial cooling systems or air-conditioning, natural ventilation is what you can find here with greenery on every side. As you wait for your meal to arrive, you can read on its walls some philosophical musings on food.
Amid a sea of fast-food chains and burger joints, this millet food court started last year at Mansoorabad is a crowd-puller. The restaurant’s menu is simple and unpretentious. It offers breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Every dish here is prepared with millet. At breakfast, one can expect ragi idli, millet dosa, java, uttapam and pesarattu. Popular dishes during lunch are Jonna rotte, tomato bath, ragi sangati, kora khichdi and salads. Those who have a sweet tooth can try the omega, calcium and iron laddus,” says the owner, Shashikanth, who wishes to revive India’s traditional way of eating.
“Many have realised the goodness of millets. These coarse grains that are the repository of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals are making a comeback,” he adds.
The restaurant before the imposition of lockdown was hosting more or less 100 customers every day. Its mission is to serve healthy food without using artificial colours, additives or sugar and without compromising on quantity and taste. Every food item has a distinct taste and the flavour of it will make you lick the plate clean.
Most of the items are cooked in copper pots and only with alkaline water which is said to help blood flow more efficiently and increase oxygen delivery throughout the body.
Millets are the humble superfood of the Indian diet. They have been part of our grandparents’ diet, it’s only in the past few decades that their consumption has reduced. They include jowar, ragi, kora, arke, sama, bajra, chena and sanwa.
The restaurant also has a small outlet that sells farm produce and organic products including millets, millet sweets and snacks, natural honey, desi cow products, pounded spices and ganuga oil and its pickles.
Source: Telangana Today