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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Ragi(Finger Millet), Black Chick Pea, Green Mung Bean Porridge

I totally agree with the fact that, we eat with our eyes first. But lot of times appearance are deceptive. This porridge might look dull and in not so pleasing color. But I assure you it tastes great and more than that it is too good for the body. If you are looking for a gluten free, high protein and low carbohydrate breakfast and that is easy and quick to do. Then this is surely for you. This porridge can be made by adding yogurt or without it, seasoned with green chilies, ginger, raw onion and grated cucumber. This is such a wholesome breakfast. Do try this out and let me know how you liked it.

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes

Cooking Time - 10 Minutes

Serves - 1 to 2

Ingredients

Ragi, Mung Bean and Black Chickpea flour mixture - 1/2 Cup

Sour Yogurt - 1/2 Cup (for vegan diet replace with 1/2 Cup water)

Water - 2 1/2 Cups

Asafoetida - small piece(avoid this if you have gluten intolerance)

Cucumber - 1/2 (Half of a cucumber, peeled and grated)

Onion - 1 (Small, peeled and chopped)

Green chili - 1 to 2 as per your taste

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Lime - Juice of 1 if you are using all water or cut down to 1/2 if using sour yogurt

Coconut Oil - 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Chopped curry leaves - 2 Tbsp optional

Chopped ginger - 1 Tsp

Chopped Cilantro – handful

Method

1) Combine the yogurt if using, water, salt, ragi flour mixture using an egg beater and combine till smooth without any lumps.

2) Heat a wide mouthed, thick bottom pan and once the pan is hot add the coconut oil. When the oil is warm enough, add the mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add chopped ginger, green chili, curry leaves, asafoetida and add the ragi mixture.

3) Keep stirring and cook till the mixture thickens. Switch off and add the chopped onion.

4) Once the mixture is cooled  little bit, add the chopped cilantro, grated cucumber and lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

5) Serve.

Notes - I make this porridge atleast couple of days a week, so in a 10 lb container. I mix 6 parts of ragi flour, 2 parts of black chick pea flour, 2 parts of whole green mung flour and combine thoroughly and keep it ready. All these 3 flours can be found in the Asian Indian grocery store.

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Green Mung Bean Savory Pancake(Pesarattu)

If you are looking for a high protein and low carb super nutritious break fast recipe, do include this recipe  in your list. A signatory breakfast of Andhra(Southern State in India) is super filling and at the same time very nutritious also. If you haven't tried this before, do try out this gluten free, grain free, savory power packed breakfast made with legumes. Normally accompanied with coconut and ginger chutney, they are such a treat for the taste palate. I served this one with Bell pepper & Almond Chutney.



Preparation Time - 20 Minutes

Cooking Time  - 20 Minutes

Serves - Around 6





Ingredients



Whole Green Mung Bean/ Dal - 1 Cup

Salt - 3/4 Tsp or more to taste

Ginger - peeled 1/2 inch piece

Green Chili - 2 to 3 depending on the spice preference

Onion - 1 Chopped into small pieces

Coconut Oil - 2 Tbsp (or you can use ghee also(clarified butter))



Method



1) Soak the green mung dal over night. In the morning, rinse the soaked dal couple of times drain the water. Add the ginger, salt and chili and some fresh water  in a food processor, Grind and make a fine paste. The batter should be slightly thin than the pan cake batter.



2) Heat a Iron griddle and then once it is hot, take a ladle full of batter and make a thin circle and add a tsp of oil around it. In medium heat cook this and once one side is well cooked, flip it and cook the other side. Now place the side which was cooked first the outer side and sprinkle the chopped onions and fold it.



3) Remove from the iron griddle and serve hot with chutney of your choice.



Events



1) Sending this to CWS- Cooking with Seeds Mung Bean hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes.

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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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The Weight Watcher Parfait

 Parfait is a french style dessert made with layering cream, ice cream, yogurt, nuts, fruits etc. This parfait is very unique meaning, I have just used strawberries milk, mixed with chia gel as the main middle layer instead of yogurt and used nuts and coconut as alternate layer, topped with some xylitol sweetened 100% Cacao truffle(grated). So you can have this any time of the day, either as a break fast or as a dessert. With the low GI strawberries and calcium rich raw milk, omega - 3 rich chia gel, they are not only healthy and also tastes great. Much better option than the morning break fast cereal !!! It is a myth that fat makes a person gain more weight, if the fat is from good sources like unprocessed milk, chia seeds, nuts etc the food keeps you satisfied for a longer period of time and curb cravings. It is the sugar and carbs that makes people to gain more weight.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - Nil

Serves - 1



Ingredients



Raw Milk - 1/2 Cup

Strawberries - 4 (washed, trimmed and chopped)

Xylitol - 2 Tsp or to taste

Grated Coconut - 2 Tbsp (Heaped)

Chopped nuts - 1/3 Cup

Chia seeds - 1 Tbsp

Water - 3 Tbsp

Dark Chocolate Truffle - 1 (This is also sweetened with Xylitol)



Method



1) Soak the chia seeds in water and set them aside for few minutes to soak and gel.



2) In a food processor blend the milk, xylitol and strawberries till smooth.



3) Combine the strawberry milk and chia gel and set them aside.



4) Take a tall glass and layer half of the nuts and top it with half of the grated coconut and press it nicely. Now pour the strawberry, milk gel on top of the coconut and layer it with the remaining nuts topped with the remaining coconut.



5) Grate the chocolate truffle on top and enjoy.

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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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