Ragi(Finger Millet), Green Mung, Black Chick Pea Sevai(String Hoppers/Noodles)

Ragi/Finger Millet is one of the most nutritious and inexpensive food . This gluten free nutritious food is very easy  to digest right from infants to elderly people.  It is rich in calcium and protein and also have good amount of iron and other minerals. Ragi is a staple in my house but when something becomes staple, coming up with different varieties is mandatory to avoid boredom.  This is a very simple recipe but you need to have the special gadget to make the string hoppers. Paired with a side dish of veggies in coconut sauce, this makes a very filling and a complete balanced breakfast, lunch or dinner. So let us get on to this simple recipe.



Preparation Time – 15 Minutes

Cooking Time – 10-12 Minutes

Serves – 1 to 2



Ingredients



Ragi Flour – 6 oz

Green Mung Flour – 2 oz

Black chick pea flour – 2 oz

Salt – 1/2 Tsp or to your taste

Water – 20 oz

Coconut oil – 1 Tsp for greasing hands & greasing the idli mould



Method



1)  In a wide mouthed pan pour 20 oz of water and boil till the bubbles start coming.

2) Now add the salt and the flour little by little stirring using a thick ladle without forming any lumps.

3) Set this aside to cool.

4) Grease the idli mould and your hands with little oil and once the dough is little cold to handle. Place the dough in the string hopper mould(sevai padi) and squeeze it in the idli plates.

5) Steam cook for 10-12 minutes in medium heat and serve with some veggies in coconut sauce( I served with tomato kurma)

Events



Sending this to Shobha's Just 4 Fun Event

 

Also going to Only South Indian event hosted by Pari of Foodelicious.

 

Also sending this Srav’s Cooking Concepts- Vegan diet

 

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Vegan Chocolate Banana Pancake(Gluten & Grain free)

If something is gluten free does it mean it is healthy? Nay, lot of gluten free mixes are made up of high starchy ingredients and the taste is also not that great. So far after trying lot of different gluten free mixes and with still half left in each one of them and unnecessarily occupying my pantry space, I have decided not to spend any more money on them. But the gluten free substitutions that really works for me is almond flour for cookies, cheese cake crusts, pancakes. But for bread and cakes I still haven’t nailed out a good recipe to share with but I am seriously trying to. One thing I found in this process is lot of these gluten free mixes have some bad tasting bean flour as one of the ingredient, but the split chick pea flour that is used in Indian cuisine in lot of dishes including sweets is such a great binder. So when a saw a ripe black banana, I was all set to try this pancake with besan and it did taste good. My kids liked it and  I didn’t face any questions from my elder one, who normally ask  “Why aren’t we eating normal food"?”  when something doesn’t taste good. If you have tried out gluten free baking with not so starchy ingredients sans eggs, please do leave a comment. I would love to try it.



Preparation Time – 10 Minutes

Cooking Time – 10 to 15 Minutes

Serves – makes 5 Pancakes



Ingredients



Besan(Split Chick Pea Flour) - 1 Cup

Banana - 1

Water - 3/4 Cup

Chocolate powder - 2 Tsp

Powdered Xylitol - 1 Tbsp

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Baking powder - 1 Tsp

salt - pinch

Vanilla extract - 1/2 Tsp

Cinnamon powder – 1 Tsp to cover up the besan smell

flaked almonds -  5 Tbsp

Coconut oil – 5 Tsp



Method 



1) Mix the besan, salt, baking soda, baking powder, powdered xylitol, chocolate powder, cinnamon powder.

2) To this add pureed banana, water, vanilla extract and mix with an egg beater without lumps.

3) Heat a Iron griddle and once it is warm, take a ladle full of batter and make a medium sized circle and take a handful of almond flakes and slightly press it on the top of the pancake batter, drizzle some coconut oil around it and cover and cook.

4) After 1-2 minutes open the cover and see if the top portion is not sticky and well cooked, now turn over and cook the other side. Repeat the same thing for the rest of the batter and serve it with butter, honey, maple syrup or anything of your choice.

5) I served it with some home made strawberry preservers sweetened with xylitol.

 

Events

Sending this to Kid's delight - deceptively delicious hosted by Pavani an event started by Srivalli.

Also going to Julie's Christmas Delicacy event.

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Ragi & Mung Bean Idli (Finger Millet & Mung Bean Steamed Duplings)

Looking for a low carbohydrate and high protein breakfast, then give this Idli a try. With ground batter in hand this is so easy to make on a busy morning. Finger millet with its dark brown color is much superior in terms of nutrition when compared to other millet varieties. With no gluten in them this is such a ideal grain for people on gluten free diet. Very easy to digest and a good source of Iron and calcium finger millet is one of the first table foods given to babies in certain parts of India.  If you are looking for ways to include this grain in your diet, give this one a try and I am sure you are going to like it.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 15 Minutes

Serves - 16 to 18 Idlis





Ingredients



Yellow Mung Dal - 1/2 Cup

Urad dal - 1/2 Cup

Ragi seeds -  2 Cups

Eno - 1/2 Tsp

Salt - 1 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Chopped coconut - 1/4 cup



Tempering -

Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Split urad dal - 1 Tsp

Green chili - 2 or more to taste

Grated Ginger - 1 Tbsp



Method



1) Rinse and soak the dals for 2 hours and the ragi for 6 - 8 hours. Once well soaked, drain them and grind them separately into a fine batter.  Add little water at the time of grinding and more water can be added later if desired.



2) Add salt and mix thoroughly and leave this overnight to ferment.



3) Heat oil, once it is hot add all the tempering ingredients and once they are done add it to the batter.

Also add the coconut pieces and combine thoroughly.



4) Take the Idli molds & grease then with a thin layer of oil. Heat a pressure cooker or idli vessel with enough water. To the ground batter add eno and mix thoroughly. The whole batter will fluff up nicely, now pour the batter in the molds and steam it for 15 minutes in medium heat and then switch off the stove.  Insert a knife in the center of the idli to check if it comes clean to make sure, the idli is properly cooked.



5) Remove them and serve the Idlis with your choice of chutney and sambar.

Events

Sending this to Flavors of South India hosted by Simply Food.

Also sending this to Serve it Steamed hosted by Krithi's Kitchen an event started by Denny's

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Mini Ragi, Mung & Kala Channa Sevai/Idiyappam( Finger Millet & Bean String Hopper)

Are you looking for more ways to loose weight. Then try to cut down on your Grain, Sugar, Starchy vegetable & fruit consumption and slightly go towards pseudo grains like Ragi, Quinoa etc. Both these are seeds but actually used as grain and are gluten free. Ragi  is very rich in calcium and iron. Dark brown in color and with a sweet taste, nutty flavor and with complex carbohydrates. Gluten free and easy to digest ragi is good from Infants to Old aged people. Here I have used Ragi flour along with protein rich Black Chick Pea flour and green mung  bean flour. Both these beans are rich in protein, iron and very low in glycemic index. I served this with Tomato Kurma (Tomato & Coconut Curry with Spices). An unbeatable combination, try this out and let me know, what you think about this recipe. Made into small mini string hoppers my elder one loves this.



Preparation Time - Nil

Cooking Time - 45 Minutes

Serves - 3 to 4





Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 12 oz ( 1 1/2 Cups)

Green Mung Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Kala Channa Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Salt - 3/4 Tsp

Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Water - 4 Cups



Method



1) Take all the three flours, combine evenly and set it aside.



2)  Boil the water in a wide mouthed vessel, once it starts boiling add the salt and the oil and slowly add the combined flours little by little stirring with a heavy spoon continuously so that there are no lumps formed. Switch of the stove and combine thoroughly so that there are no dry spots or the water is evenly mixed with the flours. Cover it and keep it aside for 5-10 minutes and then take out and spread them in wide plate for around 20 minutes to cool down.



3) Grease your hand and as well as the Idli plates. Take a string hopper maker (Idiyappam press), roll out balls of dough and place them in the Idiyappam press and press them in the greased Idli plates.  Now steam the idli plates for around 10 minutes. Repeat the same process till all the dough is exhausted.

Event Participation

This goes to Champa's Kids delight mini bytes an event started by Srivalli.

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Almond flour Pancake (Egg free, Gluten free, Grain free, Sugar free but not Taste free) & Blueberry strawberry syrup

My husband is gluten free and kind of grain free. He is on diet where Quinoa & Ragi (pseudo grains) are the staple and rest of them are made up by legumes, nuts, vegetables, dairy etc. Even though me and my kids don't have any restriction, we are slowly moving towards this diet because how many different kinds of food will I cook and this kind of diet is good for every one even though it is little difficult to follow. In our house almond flour has taken over the gluten flours for making cookies, crackers etc. So when my elder one asked for Pancake, I had only almond flour in hand. I set out in search of recipes for pancakes.

There are so many innovative recipes I came across but most of them had eggs in them. But we neither include eggs, so the recipe had to be egg free, gluten free, and of course should be low carb one too. So the use of potato flour had to be eliminated. If you notice in gluten free baking, potato flour or tapioca flours are extensively used as a binder for gluten free flours and also bean flours. I have couple of bean flour mixes lying in my basement pantry because I neither like the smell nor the taste of these bean flours.  Since besan (chick pea flour) is used extensively in Indian Cuisine in a variety of sweets without any after taste or weird smell, the addition of besan worked very well as a binder and tasted great too in this pancake recipe. Almond flour and besan flour combo works great and I will post a cookie recipe also using this combination. Now getting on to this recipe. 

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes

Cooking Time - 15 to 20 Minutes

Makes - 5 to 6 Small Pan Cakes

Ingredients

Almond Flour - 1/2 Cup

Ground Chia Powder -1 heaped Tbsp

Split Chick Pea Flour(Besan) - 1/3 Cup

Powdered Xylitol - 1 Tbsp

Buttermilk - 3/4 Cup

Baking Soda - 1/4 Tsp

Baking Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Vanilla extract few drops

Orange Juice - 1 Tbsp

Salt - pinch

Method

1) Add the almond flour, ground chia powder, besan, xylitol powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a wide bowl.

2) Heat a cast iron skillet in medium heat and add all the wet ingredients orange juice, butter milk, vanilla extract to the flour and combine with a egg beater without any lumps.

3) Pour a ladle full in the skillet and gently press it down (not too much like with a gluten based flours). Pour a tsp of ghee(clarified butter) and cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes in small to medium heat.

4) Flip and cook the other side and add more ghee if required and then remove from the heat.

For the blueberry, strawberry syrup

Blueberry - Handful

Strawberry - Handful

Water - 1 to 2 Tbsp

Stevia - 1/8 Tsp 

Method

In a blender blend blueberry, strawberry, water into a smooth paste. Boil for 3-5 minutes till the mixture thickens and then add stevia and combine well. Pour the syrup on top of the pancake and enjoy.

Note- I am just trying to make use of stevia sitting in my pantry and I was able to taste the after taste of stevia but the kids didn't notice anything. So you can substitute the sweetener of your choice for this purpose.

Events

This goes to Champa's Kids delight mini bytes an event started by Srivalli.

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Ragi, Mung & Kala Channa Dosai(Savory Finger Millet & Bean Pan Cake)

Ragi or Finger Millet is actually a Pseudo grain and is very rich in calcium and iron. Dark brown in color and with a sweet taste, nutty flavor and with complex carbohydrates. Gluten free and easy to digest ragi is good from Infants to Old aged people. Here I have used Ragi flour along with protein rich Black Chick Pea flour and green mung  bean flour. Both these beans are rich in protein, iron and very low in glycemic index. Served with some chutney and a glass of vegetable smoothie they make a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 15 to 20 Minutes

Serves - Makes 4 Pancakes

Ingredients

Ragi Flour - 6 oz

Whole Green Mung Flour - 2 oz

Black Chick Pea Flour(Kala Channa flour) -2 oz

Water - 1 Cup (If the yogurt is little watery, cut down the water to 3/4 Cup)

Yogurt - 1/4 Cup(Thick)

Onion - 1 Small(Chopped finely)

Green Chili  - 1 or to taste or optional(chopped finely)

Salt - 3/4 Tsp or to taste

Method

1) Combine all three flours and to this add the salt and then add the yogurt and water and using an egg beater mix thoroughly without any lumps.

2) To this batter add the chopped onions and green chilies and combine well.

3) Heat a iron griddle and once it is hot take a ladle full of batter and pour the batter in a circular way to cover  the surface to make a circle and pour 1 tsp of oil around it.

4) Cook on medium heat and once it is well cooked, flip it and cook the other side.

5) Serve hot with sambhar or chutney of our choice.

Event Participation



This goes to My Culinary creations Dosa Recipes.

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Ragi(Finger Millet) & Besan(Split Chick Pea Flour) Poori

Eliminating gluten from diet is a big thing, one has to miss out so many delicious dishes like Poori, Roti (Flat Bread), Fluffy cakes. But when on such kind of diet, one has to be very creative and come up with alternate for all these simple pleasures. This poori is one such thing, which I made a few months back. I wouldn't say it was soft, fantastic and fluffy. But if you on a no gluten diet, this is worth a try.  I normally restrain from fried foods and do it very occasionally, not because of any fat restrictions. Our only restrictions are carb and sugar, but when you fry foods most of the nutrients are lost. Coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) or butter are only oils that are stable at high temperatures and don't turn into toxin and are good for frying. Indeed they are expensive and that is another reason, I shy away from frying and do it once in couple of months.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Serves - 4 to 6 (Depending on the size)



Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 1/2 Cup

Besan(Split Chick Pea) flour - 1/2 Cup

Ajwain (Bishop weed) - 1/4 Tsp

Salt - 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Water



Coconut Oil for deep frying



Method



1) Combine the ragi flour, besan, ajwain and salt.



2) Heat a wide mouthed pan and add coconut oil for frying and keep this in medium heat.



3) Slowly add water little by little and combine to make a stiff dough.



4) Pinch out four to 6 equal sized balls.



5) Press it slightly and dust it with little flour and keep on the palm of one hand and using another hand slightly keep pressing in all the sides till you get a thin circular shape.



6) Now put it in the hot oil and fry till one side is well cooked and using a slotted ladle turn to the other side and after that is also cooked, drain the excess oil and place it in paper towel covered colander.



7) Serve this hot with the side dish of your choice and enjoy. I served this with mung dal(bean), palak(spinach) & yogurt

Event Participation



1)  This low carb and high protein healthy Poori's goes to Fast Food not Fat Food event by Priya of Nowserving.

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Ragi Puttu & Kadala Curry(Steamed Finger Millet with Brown Chick Pea Curry)

Ragi(Finger Millet), Quinoa all these are Pseudo grains meaning not actual grains like Wheat, Rice, Corn etc but seeds which are actually used as grains. If you are a vegetarian and looking for a gluten free and trying to eliminate grains like Wheat, Corn and Rice, these pseudo grains are a sure savior. Finger millet is a very good source of calcium and a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. This along with the protein rich Brown Chick Pea(the protein content in this is much more than the white variety), would make a perfect balanced break fast or lunch. 

Kadalai Curry

Ingredients

Kala Channa(Brown Chick Pea) - 1 Cup

Onion - 1 (chopped)

Tomato - 1 (chopped)

Grated Coconut - 1/3 Cup

Garlic - 3 Cloves

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Masala/Spices  - (1 Tsp Coriander seeds, 1/4 Tsp cumin seeds, 1-2 dry red chili, 1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds, 1 Clove, 1 inch piece of Indian Cinnamon Stick, 1/4 Tsp Black Whole Pepper Corns)

Curry Leaves - few for seasoning

Coconut Oil -2 Tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chili -2 

Salt - 1 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Method

1) Soak the brown chick pea overnight and pressure cook with enough water to cover its surface by adding salt and split green chili for 3 to 4 whistles.

2) Heat a pan and add 1/2 tsp oil and roast the grated coconut and keep it aside.

3) Heat the pan once again and add 1/2 tsp oil and to this add the chopped garlic cloves, once this browns nicely add all the ingredients mentioned next to masala  in the ingredient list and once they slightly brown, add the onion and ginger as well and saute for a few minutes till it becomes translucent, now add the chopped tomato and saute till the tomato becomes tender. Keep this aside to cool.

4) Now grind the cooled coconut, onion & tomato mixture along with masala and add a handful of cooked chick pea (if you want a thick gravy) into a fine paste.

5) Heat a pan, add the remaining oil and add the mustard seeds. Once these seeds stop spluttering, add the curry leaves and the ground paste. To this add the turmeric powder, remaining salt and saute for 3-4 minutes.

6) Now to this add the cooked chick pea along with the water and simmer for another 5 minutes and then switch off. Add more water and salt at this stage based on your preference.

Ragi Puttu



Ingredients



Sprouted and Roasted Ragi flour - 2 Cups

Water - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Grated Coconut - 3/4 Cup

Warm Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp



Method



1) Warm the water slightly. Add salt, grated coconut and warm coconut oil to the ragi flour and set it aside.



2) To this slowly add the water little by little and combining it nicely, the flour should be slightly wet and damp enough for steaming. If you take a small amount of flour in your hands and give a slight pressure and set it down, the flour should be able to hold it's shape. If not add little more water and try. (Do not pour a lot of water at the same time,  since you are not trying to form a dough).



3) I don't a have a puttu maker, so I greased a idli plate and took the ragi mixture in a small greased bowl and  pressed it evenly and then inverted it in each of the idli mold and steam it for 10 minutes.



4) Serve hot with kadala curry.

Event Participation



This Olan goes straight to the Kerala Kitchen.

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Ragi(Finger Millet), Green Mung, Black Chick Pea Cutlet

A grain free, gluten free,  a super diet for people with diabetes, carb & weight watchers, easily digestible can be given for kids and even infants. Apart from all these very filling,  tastes very good, very versatile and very inexpensive. Can any food fall on these categories? Ragi or Finger Millet is the one that would fit all these description. This seed used as a grain is extremely nutritious one. Instead of just Ragi, I have combined Green Mung Flour and Black Chick Pea flour to make this as a well balanced dish with complex carbohydrate and protein. I make this often either by adding chopped raw onions and green chili or by combining mixed vegetables. The simple cutlet just with onion and green chili tastes absolutely great when compared to the latter.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 Minutes

Serves - 4



Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 12 oz ( 1 + 1/2 Cup)

Green Mung Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Kala Chana Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Salt -1 Tsp or to taste

Coconut Oil - 2 Tbsp

Water - 30 oz (1 1/2 times the flour)



Chopped Raw onions  - 1 Cup

Chopped Green Chilies - 2 or to taste

Chopped Ginger - 1 inch piece



or



Combination of finely chopped and sauteed vegetables with salt -1 Cup(Carrots, Bell Peppers, Beets, Onions etc)



Method



1) Combine the Ragi flour, kala channa, green mung flour and keep it aside.



2) Heat a wide mouthed pan with water and once it starts boiling, add the salt and the combined flours.



3) Simmer and keep stirring thoroughly  till you a form a thick dough.



4) Set this aside to cool down, once the dough is cool enough to handle with hand, add the chopped onions, green chili, ginger pieces or the sauteed vegetables.



5) Grease your hands and combine the vegetables to make a well formed dough. You should be able to make a ball out of the dough and flatten it with your palm. If the dough is too thick and dry add little bit more of warm water.



6) Heat an Iron griddle and make patties out of this dough and cook on both sides by adding little bit of coconut oil and serve hot with some Onion Pickle.

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Ragi(Finger Millet), Black Chick Pea & Mung Bean Pakoda(Snack)

Know what you Eat – Craving for some fried snack, go for this low carb and high protein and tasty

pakodas. Finger millet is actually a seed which is much more superior to rice or wheat in

nutritional terms, providing highest levels of calcium,antioxidants, phytochemicals and high

levels of dietary fiber  which makes it easy and slowly digestible. This slow digestion is very useful for

people with diabetes as it does not cause any sugar highs. The bulkiness of the fiber and the slower

digestion rate makes us feel fuller for a longer time. Black Chick Pea & Green Mung bean are very

good source of protein, iron and dietary fiber. This is very ideal for carb watchers, kids and people

on gluten free diet.



Finger Millet is a staple in our house and i make lot of dishes using this healthy grain/seed, mixed

in 60, 40 proportion with Black Chick Pea & Green Mung Bean which will be perfect combination of complex carbohydrate and protein mix. If you are craving for fried munchies go for these as they

are much healthier than store bought chips with empty calories and they do taste awesome.



Preparation Time – 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serves – 4



Ingredients



Ragi(Finger Millet) Flour – 6 oz

Black Chick Pea Flour – 2 oz

Green Mung Bean Flour – 2 oz

Onion – 1 medium sized

Green chili – 1 chopped finely

Salt – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Red Chili powder – 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp

Water  to make a dough

Oil for frying



Method



1) Combine ragi flour, black chick pea flour and green mung flour.

2) Add turmeric powder, salt, chopped green chili, red chili powder, onion,

fennel seeds, chopped onion and add water little by little to make a dough

consistency.

3) Heat oil in a wide mouthed pan and once hot put these ragi pakodas

and deep fry little they are well cooked and crispy turning them in between.

4) Drain oil using a slotted spoon and keep them in a colander.

5) Place them in paper towel to remove any excess oil and serve hot

with any chutney of your choice.

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