Recipes from Ragi

Finger Millet (Ragi)

Scientific name: Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn

Hindi name: Mandua; Telugu name: Ragulu

It is an annual plant extensively grown as cereal in the dry areas ofIndia, especially in the southern part. It contains high amounts of calcium, proteins with well-balanced essential amino acids along with vitamin A, vitamin B and phosphorous. Its high fibre content prevents constipation, high blood pressure and intestinal cancer.

Finger millet is commonly used in South Indian Kitchens. It is rich in calcium, about ten times that of rice or wheat. It is an important ingredient in the food of babies, as it contains plenty of calcium and iron. Protein content in finger millet is high making it an important factor in preventing malnutrition. Also making it an ideal food for diabetics as it has demonstrated ability of controlling blood glucose levels and hyperglycemia.

Finger Millet Onion Chapati

Ingredients: Finger millet flour - 1 cup , onion, salt, green chilli, curd, water, coriander and oil - as required.

Preparation Method:

• Add all the ingredients and knead it to a soft dough.
• Heat a pan, grease it with oil.
• Now make equal size balls of the dough and make small roti with hand by applying little oil to your palms.
• Transfer it to the pan and cook it on a low flame. Once done flip it over the other side.
• The prepared roti can be enjoyed with curd, pickle or any curry.

Finger Millet Laddu

Ingredients: Finger millet flour- 1 cup, sugar- 1/2 cup powdered, ghee - 3 tsp, milk – 1/4 cup, cardamom powder-1 tsp, coconut gratings and dry fruits – as required chopped finely.

Preparation Method:

• Finger millet flour until roasted aroma appears.
• Roast dry fruits in ghee, heat milk and melt the jaggery.
• Add all roasted ingredients together and mix well.
• Shape into round lemon sized balls manually and serve.

Finger Millet Muruku

Ingredients: Finger millet flour – 1 cup, rice flour – 1 cup, sesame seeds – 2 tsp, turmeric – 1/2 tsp, salt – 1 tsp, chilli powder – 2 tsp, tymol seeds – 1/2 tsp; water – as required; oil – for frying.

Preparation Method:

• Prepare dough with all  ingredients and water.
• Fill the dough in hand operated muruku making machine.
• Prepare 3-4 rounds of muruku on a cloth.
• Fry the prepared muruku in oil. Put the flame on low to ensure proper frying.
• After frying put the muruku on paper and cool it and serve as evening snack.

Soft Finger Millet Mudde

Ingredients: Finger millet flour- 1/4 cup and water- 1 cup.

Preparation Method:

• Mix about 2 tsp of finger millet flour with water.
• In an aluminum or thick-bottomed utensil, boil water and add salt.
• Add finger millet flour and water mixture and stir continuously.
• Add the remaining finger millet flour and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer half of liquid to a utensil.
• Stir the paste till it becomes an uniform paste without lumps add the transferred liquid again to the mixture.
• Cover the utensil and cook in sim mode for another 2-3 minutes.
• Roll the paste into a ball.
• Soft finger millet mudde or soft finger millet ball is ready.
• Serve hot with sambar or chutney.

Finger Millet rawa Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients: Finger millet rawa – 1/4 cup, finger millet flour– 1/4 cup, water– 3/4 cup, salt – a pinch, boiled milk – 1/4 cup, chocolate chopped – 1/4 cup and chopped nuts – 1 tsp.

Preparation Method:

• Boil water with a pinch of salt and add the finger millet rawa to the boiling water and add milk to the mixture.
• Add the finger millet flour to it and do not stop stirring, else lumps will form.
• Keep stirring for 2 minutes and add chopped dark chocolate mix and stir well.
• Serve hot or cold with chopped nuts.

Finger Millet Vermicelli Kheer

Ingredients: Finger millet vermicelli – 1 cup, dry fruits, ghee, water, sugar, milk and cardamon powder- as required.

Preparation Method:

• Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan.
• Roast dry fruits, finger millet vermicelli in ghee separately.
• Boil milk and add roasted vermicelli and cook for 3 min. add sugar and mix well.
• When contents starts boiling, add cardamom powder and dry fruits.
• Cool and serve.

Finger Millet Vermicelli Upma

Ingredients: Finger millet vermicelli - 1 cup, chopped onions, green chillies, mustard seeds, black gram dal, curry leaves, ground nut, water and oil – as required.

Preparation Method:

• Roast the finger millet vermicelli in little oil.
• Make seasoning with mustard seeds, black gram dal, cumin, ground nuts and curry leaves.
• Pour water and boil, add salt to taste.
• Cook vermicelli in above boiled water and serve hot.

Finger Millet Cake

Ingredients: Finger millet flour- 100 g, essence - 3 ml, fat – 100 g, baking powder –3 g, egg - 2 cocoa powder – 5 g, sugar – 100g, salt – 2 g and milk - 20ml.

Preparation Method:

• Pre heat oven to 180°C, sieve all dry ingredients thrice foruniform mixing.
• Sugar powder and egg whites are to be beaten well and add milk, essence, egg yolk and mix well.
• Add finger millet flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder and make into fine batter.
• Put the batter in baking bowl and place in the oven at 180°C for 25- 30 min.
• Take the cake out and wait for 10 min until it cools.
• The cake is removed from mould after at least 15 min. cut into pieces and serve.

Finger Millet Balushahi

Ingredients : Ragi flour - 25g, Maida - 25g, Ghee - 2tsp, Curd - 50g, Baking powder - 1 tsp, sugar - 100g, elaichi powder - 1g, Soda-1g.

Preparation Method:

• Mix all the flours with curd, soda, salt, ghee and baking powder.
• Mix them properly and keep aside for 30 mins.
• Make sugar syrup (Thick).
• Make balls with the pressing dough between two hands.
• Deep Fry, soak in sugar syrup and keep it aside.

Finger Millet Bounty Bars

Ingredients : Ragi - 30g,Chocolate - 40g, Condensed Milk - 50g, Badam Powder - 10g, Coconut Powder - 40g.

Preparation Method:

• Roast ragi flour and coconut powder separately.
• Add condensed milk and mix well.
• Make oval shape balls.
• Melt chocolate and dip these balls in chocolates, keep in fridge for 20 min.

Finger Millet Potato Pan Cake

Ingredients : Ragi - 100, Potatoes - 8, Eggs-4, Salt - to taste, Red chilli Powder - 20g, Green chillies - 12g, Turmeric - 4g, Pepper - 8g, Garam masam - 3g, Onion - 1, Curry leaves, Coriander leaves.

Preparation Method:

• Grate potatoes and keep it in cool water for 5 min.
• Squeeze the excess water add eggs, ragi flour, onion, green chilies, chili powder, garam masala, salt, curry leaves and coriander leaves mix well.
• Heat pan and put one tsp of oil and pour the above mixture like small tikki and do a shallow fry.
• Serve with tomata sauce and chutney.

Sources:

Millet Recipes - IIMR, Hyderabad

Millet Recipes - Department of Agriculture, Karnataka