Traditional Indian breakfast (Idli and Dosa) with enhanced nutritional content using millets

Abstract

AbstractAimTo formulate ready‐to‐make millet mix Idli and Dosa, and to compare the chemical and sensory qualities of those with pure rice mix Idli and Dosa.MethodsGerminated powders of high‐quality millets were mixed and incorporated with other basic traditional ingredients like rice powder and de‐husked black gram powder in formulated proportions. Nutritional and sensory qualities were assessed after fermentation and cooking of the mix to make Idli and Dosa.ResultsThe millet‐based Idli contained high proportions of protein (15–18%), fat (5.0–6.2%) and carbohydrate (72–74%) compared to the rice‐based Idli. The ash content was in the range of 1–2% and crude fibre (3.0–4.9%). The millet‐based Dosa contained high proportions of protein (15–18%), fat (8.5–9.8%) and carbohydrate (69–72%) compared to the rice‐based Dosa. Also the processing steps like decortications, germination and fermentation significantly reduced the phytic acids (69%) and tannin (78%) content in millet‐based foods. The sensory evaluation results showed that the overall acceptability of millet based product is ‘Like moderately’ with score of 7.7 ± 0.5ConclusionThe results indicated that the nutritional content of millet‐incorporated Idli and Dosa was comparable with the standard recommended dietary values, and the processing techniques not only decrease the antinutrients but also enhance the essential nutrients. Emerging research on millet‐based food is one of the strategies for alleviating malnutrition.