Globally located Indian restaurants to serve more millet foods

The UN has declared 2023 as 'The Millet Year'

Indian restaurants globally are expected to serve more millet flour-based dishes in near future, given the health benefits of these multi-grains among the busy urbanites, a Singapore-based Indian restaurateur has said.

The UN has declared “The Millet Year 2023”, which the 40-year maritime industry veteran believes has the strong support of the Indian Government on international platforms.

“There is a growing trend of eating healthy food, especially among busy executives in bustling cities, and millets as well as other such cereals. I believe these shall be widely accepted as organic food with many health benefits,” Capt. Inder Jit Singh, the 60-year-old owner of the Yummy Punjaby (YP) Restaurant.

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“We had been contemplating introducing various such flour breads,” said Singh, noting the importance of these multi-grains underlined by the Global Millets conference held recently in New Delhi.

“We have been serving ‘missi roti with saag’ for 11 years and are loved by many. We shall soon be introducing millet & other flour-based bread for our multi-national patrons,” said Singh, who has managed to keep his passion afloat for more than a decade, despite the numerous obstacles faced as an SME including the recent Covid-19-pandemic.

He also said that Indian restaurants globally are expected to serve more and more millet flour-based products in near future, given the health benefits of these multi-grains among the busy urbanites.

Singh pointed out that millets are good sources of fibre, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which are good for cardiovascular, and diabetes, helping people achieve and maintain healthy weight and lifestyle.

Such healthy foods are being valued worldwide, observed Singh who has sailed aboard Merchant Navy vessels for 25 years and has built a global network.

Singh wants to introduce more north Indian cuisines and continually motivates his staff to be innovative. In addition to Millet chapatis, he wishes to introduce ‘makhan’, the famous white butter which his mother used to churn from milk cream with her own hands. This pure white natural butter is seldom found overseas.

The sarson saag at YP is his own innovation as the green leaves like bathua etc used in India are not so easily available in Singapore. He tried the various local green leaves which finally resulted in a similar authentic taste of Punjabi Saag.

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Over the years, YP has become a favourite Punjabi restaurant among the local Chinese and other multi-national, multicultural people and he has been nicknamed Capt. Yummy by his close patrons.

His focus remains on being close to nature as much as possible and staying away from artificial lifestyles. For this reason, he has added the tagline “Truly Yummy, Healthy, Traditional Punjabi Cuisine”.

The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda uses all such herbs and spices in their medicines and are normally found in the Indian kitchen.

As Yummy reiterates, "my mission is to do my best to promote north Indian cuisines globally," citing the health benefits of the various herbs and spices used in Indian cooking.

Further, he says, "Let us all pledge to stay close to and safeguard mother nature. The Almighty has bestowed us with a bountiful of blessings and let's embrace it."