A short guide to Indian millets

Millets are having a moment in the West as gluten-free 'ancient grains' — but in India they've been everyday food for thousands of years, grown on hardy, low-water crops that thrive where wheat and rice struggle. Three are worth knowing.

Bajra (pearl millet) is nutty and robust, milled into the flour behind bajra roti and rich in iron. Jowar (sorghum) is milder and more versatile — the 'new quinoa', equally at home in flatbreads and gluten-free baking. Ragi (finger millet) is darker and earthy, prized for its calcium and used in everything from porridge to dosa.

All three are naturally gluten-free and wholegrain, which is exactly why they're surging in clean-label baking. The catch is freshness: millet flours are oil-rich and turn faster than wheat, so they're best stone-milled in small batches and used while bright — not bought in bulk and left in a cupboard for a year.

Start simple: swap a quarter of the flour in a flatbread or pancake recipe for bajra or jowar, or cook the whole grain like rice as a base for bowls. The flavour is gently sweet and nutty, and the texture is hearty without being heavy.