Ragi - Rave Idli / Finger Millet - Semolina Idli / Ragi - Rava Idli

Rave idli aka semolina idli was created by MTR during second world war when rice was in short supply. This idli was a variation to the standard idli recipe which of course needed rice. Semolina idlis are a quick version idlis which need no grinding or fermenting and a popular one at restaurants and homes across the south Indian state of Karnataka. 

A few years ago, MTR came up with a spin off of this version called ragi - rava idli / semolina and finger millet idlis. The addition of finger millet flour to semolina idlis obviously make it healthier and guilt-free. This is my attempt to recreate that version at home. I have used semolina and finger millet flour in equal proportions here though semolina quantity can be increased if one is skeptical about finger millet. We are used to finger millet and so we found the idlis delicious. 

These idlis are not gluten-free or vegan as most of the idli recipes I posted in the series so far. They are intsant version idlis and need no grinding or fermenting. However both semolina and finger millet flour are soaked in yogurt for at least 30 minutes. Grated carrot, peas, or coconut can be added to make them more nutritious and tasty. Or one can even stick to the basic version. I found that these idlis need to be steamed longer compared to the standard version. These idlis make a healthy breakfast / brunch item and is diabetic friendly. It makes a wholesome dish when served with side dishes like vegetable saagu, sambhar or chutney.

Ingredients: (Yield - 18 idli)
1 tbsp. oil

1 tbsp. cashews

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal

1 sprig of curry leaves

1 cup semolina / rava 
1 cup finger millet flour / ragi flour

Salt to taste 

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup grated carrot
2 tbsp. minced cilantro

3/4 cup water + extra only if needed 

1/4 tsp. Eno's fruit salt

Directions:

* Heat oil in a pan and toast cashews until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them aside. To the same pan, add mustard, and black gram. Sauté until the black gram turns golden brown and add curry leaves. Toast for few seconds and add semolina. On medium flame, toast semolina until it starts to change color slightly and start to smell the aroma of it. Turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down. This step can be done in advance and the toasted semolina can be stored in a container.

2. Add finger millet flour / ragi flour and salt to the semolina bowl.

3. Add salt, yogurt, carrot and cilantro to the semolina - flour mixture and mix well. Add water as needed to prepare a thick, pourable consistency batter. Cover and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.

4. Check the consistency of the batter after the resting period. Add extra water only if the mixture appears dry. 

* Heat about 2 cups of water in a idli cooker base or a idli cooker or a steamer on medium heat. 

5. Add 1/4 tsp. of Eno's fruit salt to the batter and sprinkle a tsp. of water over it. (or add a pinch of baking soda instead of fruit salt.) Gently stir the batter with a ladle until the mixture turns frothy.

6. Grease the idli moulds with ghee / oil. Place a toasted cashew at the center of each mould. (Or cashews can be added directly to the batter.) Fill the moulds with batter.

* Place the idli stand in the prepared cooker / steamer and close the lid. Don't use the valve for the lid if using a pressure cooker.

7. Steam the idlis on low heat setting until done. (The idlis should not stick when touched with moist fingers. It takes longer to steam these idlis compared to the standard rice - urad dal version.) Check the water level in the steamer base and add extra if needed.

* Wait for about 10 minutes and then remove the idlis by running a spoon around the edges.

* Drizzle melted ghee over the idlis and serve them with a chutney and /or sambhar. Mine were served with roasted gram chutney and sambhar.

* Refrigerate any left over idlis and use in a day or two. Or they can be cooled down immediately after preparation and frozen to use later. Just nuke them in a microwave, covered and enjoy hot, piping idlis when needed. 

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Mandua ki Roti / Ragi Roti / Finger Millet Flatbreads

I grew up in Karnataka, a south Indian state where finger millet aka ragi is one of the staple crops. Many eat ragi muddhe / finger millet balls instead of rice on a daily basis in the area where I grew up. I therefore have affinity towards finger millet and I try to include the flour in our diet as much as possible. Don't be put off by it's color. It is a whole grain with high nutritional value and is a good source of carbohydrates. It is gluten free as well and good for diabetics. The millet is cultivated in various parts of India and go by the names ragi, nachni, kodo and mandua. It is a hardy crop which can grow even in high altitudes and withstand harsh weather conditions and has been traditionally grown even in the hilly / pahadi areas of Himalayas.

Various dishes are made with finger millet flour in Uttarakhand including rotis. The rotis here are made in two ways, either the dough is patted with fingers or just rolled as rotis. The first time I heard about these rotis was through an online video I saw a few years ago. I make the Karnataka version thicker rottis regularly in my home but the idea of rotis sounded interesting. The patted version obviously yields thicker rotis and are made with a dough of finger millet flour alone adding a bit of salt and water. The ones that are rolled to make it thinner like the regular wheat version rotis are made with a mixture of finger millet and wheat flours. Finger millet has no gluten and it hard to roll though I saw a Pahadi chef doing it in a video which did not seem easy even to him and they were smaller in size. If looking for a gluten free version of finger millet flatbread, check this recipe of ragi rotti. You can find more finger millet recipes on my blog, clicking here.

These finger millet aka mandua ki roti are regularly made in my home over the past few years. I have tried these rotis adding various proportions of wheat flour in the beginning and now I have settled with using both wheat and finger millet flours in equal proportions. That proportion works fine for me and the dough is very easy to roll. The other thing I follow is to allow the dough to rest for a couple of hours after it is made, for the gluten to develop. The resting time helps as I don't knead much while preparing the dough. I have noticed that I have a hard time rolling when using a dough that was not rested. Also generously flour the working surface / chapathi  board while rolling these rotis as it helps in rolling the rotis without sticking. Just pat away any excess flour before toasting the rotis.

These healthy and tasty rotis are on a rotation in our home and in fact, even the picky daughter doesn't complain. I have made them at least twice in the past month and I happened to take pictures both times. And that's why you get to see two sets of pictures, one with north Indian style side dishes where pickle / achaar, aloo jhol, a potato preparation from Uttarakhand, kadhi, raita and dal were served. The other one is where I had made them to include in our south Indian lunch where capsicum curry, sambhar and rice were made.

Ingredients: (Yield 10 rotis)

1 cup finger millet flour / mandua ka atta / ragi flour
1 cup wheat flour / gehu ka atta

Salt to taste
Oil to toast rotis

Directions:

* Combine both the flours and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water as needed and knead into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest the dough for a couple of hours.

I add almost close to a cup of water for this proportion. There is nothing to worry in case if extra flour or water was added. If the dough appears dry, add a little extra water and knead. If the dough appears too wet, fix it by adding a little flour.

* Divide the mixture into 10 portions and roll them into balls. Work with one ball at a time keeping the rest covered. If new to roti making, then some rotis can be rolled first and then they can be toasted. Otherwise rolling and toasting the rotis can be done simultaneously. 

* Heat a griddle or a shallow pan on medium flame.

* Flatten a ball and dust it with flour.

* Roll it into a thin circle of about 5 inches diameter. 

* Place the rolled out dough circle on the griddle. 

* Cook it until the surface darkens and then flip it.

* Let the other side cook as well until bubbles start to appear.

* Add a little oil around the edges and rub the back side of the spoon over the surface. Cook it for few seconds.

* Flip it and cook until the brown spots appear on both sides and remove the roti from the pan.

* Repeat the steps with the remaining dough. Serve hot with a side dish.

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Ragi Malt

Finger millet aka ragi is a cereal grain that is widely grown and consumed in southern parts of India. The highly nutritious grain is consumed mainly in the form of flour. The ragi flour is used to prepare nutritious dishes ranging from flat breads to desserts, catering from young to old. Today's recipe ragi malt which has regional names such as java / kanji is one such drink which can be served from toddlers to adults. It can be prepared two ways - one with milk sweetened with jaggery / sugar and the other served with salted buttermilk. My version today is a sweetened version that can be served as a healthy, gluten free breakfast or as a part of a breakfast meal. This is one of the healthy and nutritious beverages I like to start my day with and it goes to 'Blogging Marathon' under the theme 'Easy Breakfasts'.

I usually go with huri hittu to prepare ragi malt. Huri hittu is the toasted, popped and powdered ragi / finger millet grain. It has the unmistakable distinct roasted aroma. It is commercially available everywhere in Bangalore and usually my sister gifts me some packets when visiting India. My neighborhood Patel stores have started to stock these packets recently. I have noticed two varieties from the stash I usually get from India. One is a sweetened version with the addition of nuts and coconut flakes where as the other one is plain toasted one. I use the unsweetened huri hittu to prepare this malt. Even the plain finger millet flour can be toasted before using it in the ragi malt preparation though it is an optional step.

Ingredients: (1 serving)
3/4 + 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup hurihittu / finger millet flour / ragi flour
2 tbsp. powdered jaggery
2 pinches of ground cardamom 
3/4 cup boiled and cooled milk
Nuts to garnish (optional)

Directions:
* Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a sauce pan, preferably a non stick one.
* Combine 1/2 cup water and flour in a cup and mix well without any lumps.
* Add the flour mixture to the boiling water slowly and stir slowly so that no lumps are formed. Cook on slow flame stirring now and then until a glossy, thick consistency is noticed. If not sure whether it is cooked / when to stop, just blindly cook the mixture for about 6 - 8 minutes. 
* Add jaggery and cardamom and stir until the jaggery melts.
* Add milk to the cooked ragi mixture and stir to combine. Add extra milk if needed to get pourable consistency. 
* Pour the mixture into glasses, garnish with slivered almonds / chopped nuts and serve.

Note:
1. Sugar can be substituted for jaggery but jaggery adds more flavor to the malt.
2. Water, flour and milk can be mixed together at the beginning and cooked as well.

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Ragi Vermicelli Upma

Ragi - Finger Millet
Upma- A south Indian savory breakfast usually made with semolina with a thick porridge like consistency.

Ragi aka finger millet is a whole grain which is beneficial when included in any one's diet, especially the diabetics. This upma uses the vermicelli made with finger millet and whole wheat flours. Unlike the wheat vermicelli which is cooked in boiling water, this vermicelli is soaked in cold water for a few minutes, drained and then steamed.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
2 cups ragi vermicelli
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 green chillies, finely chopped
10 - 12 curry leaves
1 big onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
Mixed vegetables *
1 tsp. salt
* I used frozen carrot and peas. Finely chopped potato, beans and chayote can also be used.

Method:
* Heat oil in a pan and split chickpeas, skinned black gram, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the split chickpeas start to turn golden brown, add green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds and add onion. If using any chopped fresh vegetables, it is time to add them too. Stir intermittently and cook covered on low flame until the onion (and vegetables) turns soft. Next add tomatoes, salt and frozen vegetables if using. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
* Soak the ragi vermicelli in cold water for 3 minutes such that all the vermicelli strands are immersed completely in water. Soak for not more than three minutes. Drain the vermicelli completely after three minutes.
* Add vermicelli to the onion - tomato mixture and cook covered on low flame for about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with chutney.
This post goes to Blogging marathon #77 under the theme "Whole Grains". Check out the page to read what other marathoners are cooking.

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Double Chocolate - Finger Millet Muffins / Eggless Ragi Muffins

 

Though ragi aka finger millet is regularly used in my home, it ends up being consumed only by the adults. My daughter who prefers her visual sense than palate to choose her food had long ago decided that ragi is not one of her favorites and my other non picky kid too has not shown any affinity to this earthy, iron rich grain. However I realized recently that ragi could be sneaked into baking and my kids have no problem finishing any of that stuff. They haven't yet figured out that they have been eating ragi and I could fool even the younger one with the chocolaty additions.

The inspiration for today's muffins came from the over ripe bananas that I had to finish off sooner, my daughter's love for chocolate and the 'whole grains' event, hosted by Kalyani. I used a banana muffin recipe that I have been using for years now as the base recipe. I substituted half of the flour with ragi based one and made suitable changes to come up with these yummy muffins. As I mentioned above, it is hard to notice the ragi flavor in these muffins and is an easy way to sneak in ragi in your kids' diet, if you are planning so.


Ingredients : (yield 6 / 7)
6 tbsp. finger millet flour / ragi flour
6 tbsp. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mashed banana
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. Nutella
3 tbsp. yogurt
2 tbsp. oil
6 tbsp. semi sweet chocolate chips

Method:
* Preheat the oven to 375 deg. F. Grease or line the muffin tin.
* Sieve together flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and keep it aside.
* Combine the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips in another bowl and whisk well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients' bowl and stir gently to just combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
* Fill the muffin cups with batter up to 2/3rds. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 deg. F and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes or until  a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

This is my entry to
1. Blogging marathon #58
 
2. Srivalli's Kids' Delight event, hosted by Kalyani this month under the theme 'Cooking with Whole Grains'.

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