Mingle with Millets, An Immersive Discussion and Cooking Workshop, Kochi
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we held our first event under the Millet Revival Project in Kochi, at the spacious area above French Toast, a charming café surrounded by trees.
Titled ‘Mingle with Millets’, it brought together a group of 54 guests and six volunteers, including professionals from the hospitality industry, food enthusiasts, policymakers, as well as doctors and nutritionists. The incredibly heart-warming gathering celebrated the rich narrative around millets alongside a panel discussion and a cooking workshop.
Two exciting games allowed guests to familiarise themselves with millets and sustainable food choices before the event. A dart game (produced by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a think tank based in New Delhi) nudged participants to think about sustainability and wastage in food systems, and how likely they are to take steps towards making better consumption choices.
French Toast, Our Venue For The Day. Photo by Team Locavore.
The workshop was a collaboration between The Locavore and the Rainmatter Foundation. Events under the Millet Revival Project are designed to explore, educate, and celebrate the diverse uses of millets in India. Photo by Team Locavore.
(L) A dart game by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. (R) Tinder Millet Profiles. Photos by Team Locavore
On the other hand, the Tinder millet profile game allowed people to get a sense of the difference in textures, tastes, and preferences surrounding millets.
At a stall from our partner producer Forest Post—who work with forest-dependent communities in Kerala to assert value to forest produce—attendees were curious about the beeswax balms, bamboo rice, and macrame products they make, and the work they do.
Display featuring products from Forest Post, one of our partner producers. Photo by Team Locavore.
The event kicked off with ChefTZac’s Great Millet Standoff—an interactive, rapid-fire quiz that tested locavores on their knowledge of millets. For instance, which millet variety grows almost five feet tall? And is it true that the water footprint of millets is higher than that of rice?
This was followed by an introduction to The Locavore, the Millet Revival Project (MRP), and our partner for MRP, the Rainmatter Foundation. Abhinav Chidella of the Rainmatter Foundation also spoke about the foundation’s ethos and their work in climate resilience
The discussion featured Dr. Sreeja KG from Forest Post, Rajamma and Usha from the Attapadi Livelihoods Mission, and Rakesh Nair from Svojas Farms.
Dr. Sreeja KG is a partner at Forest Post, an indigenous womens’ enterprise that asserts value to minor forest produce collected by forest-dependent communities in the Chalakudy, Periyar, and Karuvannur river basins in central Kerala.
Rajamma and Usha are both part of the Kudumbashree Attapadi Adivasi Samagra Vikasana Paddhati (AASVP), a project run under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission to revive millets in the Attapadi region.
The AASVP is also involved in the manufacturing of value-added products from millets in Attapadi, which has, for long, been the millet capital of Kerala. The AASVP’s brand, Hill Value, markets farm and forest produce cultivated by indigenous communities in the region, which include the Irula, Muduga, and Kurumba people.
Rakesh Nair is the co-founder of Svojas Farms, which produces ready-to-cook millet products that are available online and across more than 500 outlets in Kerala. Rakesh has a keen interest in bringing the benefits of millets to the larger population of Kerala.
The ‘Mingle with Millets’ panel discussion brought together experts from Kerala’s diverse geographies to share their insights about the nuances, tastes, and problems within their respective millet landscapes. Photos by Team Locavore
Before diving into the discussion, a heartwarming video of women celebrating the sowing of millets in Attapadi was screened. Attapadi is often called the “millet village” for its role in reviving these ancient grains in the region.
The panellists shared their favourite memories of growing, eating, and cooking with millets. Rajamma’s recollections were particularly fascinating; she spoke about the eight different microclimates experienced in Attapadi and how agriculture informed by indigenous knowledge is adapted to these microclimates, with different millet varieties suited to each.
Sreeja highlighted how incredibly diverse millets are, noting that even single indigenous varieties have subtypes that are not widely known. Meanwhile, Rakesh from Svojas Farm discussed the work of his millet-focused consumer brand in the region, encouraging attendees to consume more millets rather than just talking about them.
The discussion provided meaningful insights into the challenges of millet cultivation and consumption, especially in Kerala.
And then it was time to eat! Our cooking workshop demonstrated three different ways to cook with millets, and had everyone going for seconds.
The first recipe, from ChefTZac, was a delicious salad bowl. This colourful and light salad featured foxtail, kodo, proso, and little millet. A participant, Priyanka Chandran said, “I never thought that millets could be this delicious and have so many possibilities. I will definitely try them, especially in salads.”
The Millet Salad Bowl. Photo by Team Locavore.
Toppings for the Millet Salad Bowl included amaranth, jackfruit seeds, pickled tendli, cucumbers, and pomegranate seeds, all brought together with a tomato-based dressing and a dollop of garlic yoghurt. Photo by Team Locavore.
Next up, home chef and millet educator Supriya A showed us how to make paal puttu, a popular south-Indian breakfast dish usually comprising ground rice and fresh grated coconut. Supriya substituted the rice with little millet, creating a wholly satisfying rendition.
The third recipe, developed by fifth-generation baker Tsarina Vacha, used little millet and jowar flour to create a gooey, coffee-flavoured pudding topped with crunchy caramel jowar corn for an easy yet nutritious millet-based dessert.
All these dishes are quick to prepare, feature minimal ingredients, and are a cakewalk for anyone just starting to cook with millets.
Chef Supriya’s Little Millet Paal Puttu, served with Kadala curry and a spicy onion chutney. Photo by Team Locavore.
Chef Tsarina demonstrating the steps to make her Little Millet Mocha Magic Pudding. Photo by Team Locavore.
We were touched by the exceptional response at the end of the workshop, with many coming forward to express their delight at both the informative and fun aspects of the event. Usha Gopakumar, who had never eaten millets before, said she “had no idea millets could taste so good!”
We can’t wait for our next event, so we can get more participants just as excited as Usha to give millets a chance!
At The Locavore, we love planning and executing events that highlight India’s diverse local foods, celebrating community, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Our events feature engaging workshops, discussions, immersive experiences and other formats that connect you to India’s rich food culture. Interested in collaborating or having us organise an event? Reach out at connect@thelocavore.in.
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