Ragi Cookies ~ Finger Millet Cookies

Blogging Marathon #6 starts from today. There are 14 marathoners participating in this week's marathon and as usual, Srivalli has come up with different themes to make BM more interesting.

This time, it is going to be

1. Cooking with one ingredient in seven different ways.

2. Seven days of Regional specials

3. Seven days of Picnic food

4. Seven days of 'Mini bites'

5. Recipe less picture posts

I selected 'cooking with one ingredient in seven different ways' as my theme for this week and the ingredient I chose is Ragi. And so, I am hoping to present some interesting ragi recipes this week. The first recipe in this marathon is going to be these yummy ragi cookies.

I don't recall ever eating ragi cookies back in India. I don't know whether it was because I overlooked them in the array of other delicious baked goodies sold or whether our local baker ever carried them. I noticed and bought some for the first time in an Indian bakery that is near my home, here locally. Though it sounds surprising, I do have an Indian bakery amidst other good Indian restaurants in this peaceful Chicago suburban town.
I planned to recreate those ragi cookies at home and have been searching for a good recipe. I came across one at 'Aayi's Recipes' recently. I just followed her recipe blindly and they turned out awesome. Everyone including my husband who is not a great cookie lover liked them. These delicious, addictive cookies are going to be baked regularly in my kitchen from now on. J

Ingredients: (yields about 30)
2 cups ragi flour
1 cup melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp baking powder

Method:

* Toast the ragi flour on medium heat for about 5 minutes taking care not to burn it. Let cool.

* Preheat the oven at 300F (for 10mins). Grease two baking sheets.

* Now combine well all the ingredients in a mixing bowl to form the dough.
* Pinch out about Tbsp size dough and roll into a ball. Gently press with your thumb at the top (or fingers) to slightly flatten it. Do not flatten it thinly. Repeat the steps with the remaining dough.

* Place them on greased baking sheets. Leave enough space between two cookies as they somewhat increase in size after baking.

* Bake in oven at 300F for about 20mins or until the tops turn a bit firmer. (See notes.)

* Cool to room temperature and store in airtight container.

Note:

1. The store ones were flat, palm sized cookies but I shaped them like nankhatais. I think I should have been a little careful while shaping and could have flattened them a little more to avoid the cracks that appear after baking. It doesn't interfere with the flavor or the texture of the cookies though. Also wondering if I can reduce the baking powder quantity next time since traditional nan khatais use no / little baking powder.

2. I had to bake 5 - 8 minutes extra for firmer cookies. At 20 minutes, the tops were soft to touch and were crumbly. A few minutes more, they were firmer and perfect.

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