Jhangora (Barnyard Millet)

Jhangora is a wild millet that grows abundantly in the Himalayas. It has tiny, white, round grains that look like semolina but cook like rice. It is one of the oldest cultivated grains in India. In Uttarakhand, Jhangora is often eaten as a substitute for rice or made into a sweet pudding (Kheer). It is a 'Vrat' (fasting) food, consumed during religious observances like Navratri and Ekadashi because of its purity and high energy value. It is drought-resistant and pest-resistant, growing naturally without chemicals.