Healthy dishes tickle the taste buds in The Hindu cookery contest

‘Varigala annam’ preparation tops the jury’s list

Winners of the Our State- Our Taste at Macharla in Guntur district on Sunday.

More and more people are realising the need to include in their daily menu nutritious millets that have more health benefits than the current food ingredients in our kitchens today.

Sources of fibre are hugely in demand, especially by people wanting to cut down on their weight and millets are loaded with it.

That precisely was the reason why the varigala annam (rice substituted with proso millets) cooked by V. Divya Bharathi, elbowed out many other delicious dishes, to emerge as the winner of the ‘Our State, Our Taste’ cookery contest being organised by

The Hindu , in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Tourism, in Macherla of Guntur district on Sunday.

The bran of proso millet contains vital nutrients that are essential for a healthy diet and is also an excellent source of fiber. It is gluten-free and has a significant amount of carbohydrates, protein, niacin (Vitamin B3) and fatty acids.

138 participants

Ms. Bharathi served ‘varigala annam’ preparation with ‘thotakura’ (amaranthus leaves) pulusu and ‘pappucharu’ and won the jury’s hearts.

A total of 138 participants showcased their recipes. A 10-year-old participant grabbed everybody’s attention at the venue.

A large part of the dishes comprised desserts like ‘kharjuram barfi,’ Apple-dry fruit kheer, ‘korra laddu’, ‘paala thaalika-paayasam’, ‘Nuuvulu-raagi laddu’, ‘mokkajana halwa’.

K. Prameela was the first runner-up, who made the traditional ‘sajja thappela chekkalu’ while B. Vijaya Lakshmi, the second runner-up, cooked ‘mulakkaya-endu royyala’ (drumstick-dry fish) curry. Two consolation prizes were also given to Parvathi and Veera Raghavamma. RKG, Fortune, Butterfly and Kanchi Kamakshi were the main sponsors of the event while CMR Group sponsored the gifts.