Foxtail Millet (Thinai) Flour

Foxtail millet flour is one of the easiest ways to bring thinai into daily cooking without changing your routine. Known as thinai maavu or thinai arisi maavu, it is the whole grain ground fine, so the fibre and minerals stay in the flour instead of being polished away. We mill in small batches and pack fresh, with no bleaching and no additives, as with everything in our range of Pure Organic foods. If you would rather cook the whole grain, foxtail millet is the same grain unground.

Why thinai maavu

• Naturally gluten free, suitable for wheat free cooking
• High in dietary fibre, which slows digestion and keeps you full longer
• Lower glycaemic index than rice, sitting around 50 against roughly 72 for polished white rice
• Source of protein, iron, magnesium and B vitamins
• Light on the stomach, which is why it is a common first grain for babies and for recovery meals

How to use it

• Roti and adai, mixed with a little wheat or ragi flour so the dough holds together
• Dosa and paniyaram batter, for a soft interior and crisp edge
• Kanji and porridge, cooked thin with water or buttermilk. For a ready version, our millet kanji mix saves the grinding
• Upma and pongal style dishes, or use a ready thinai pongal mix on busy mornings
• Baby porridge, cooked well and kept thin

Thinai fits a low GI, high fibre routine, though portion size still matters. If you are working out which millets to rotate, this guide to the types of millets lays out the differences.

Sold in fresh 500 g packs. Thinai flour absorbs more water than wheat flour, so expect a softer dough and add water slowly. If you would rather start with something ready to cook, browse our instant breakfast mix range.

You can find more everyday flours to rotate through the week in our flour and batter mix range.