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 & 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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Mixed Vegetable & Mung Bean Red Rice Flakes/Aval/Poha

Rice Flakes/Aval can be used to prepare tasty and quick dishes. All you have to do is to soak for 2-3 minutes or run it through the water depending on the thickness of the flake. Also you can choose a healthier version of the flakes by going in for a unpolished variety or the red rice variety flakes. Traditionally in South Indian house holds, you can see a variety of dishes prepared using these flakes like Lemon Aval, Tamarind Aval, Pepper Aval, Thayir Aval and Sweet Aval . I just modified the Lemon Aval little bit and added bell pepper, onion, carrots, peanuts boiled mung bean(you can also add sprouted raw mung bean- provided you have the time to chew and eat), roasted peanuts for the extra crunch. With the addition of mung bean and peanuts, it becomes a one pot dish with complex carbohydrates and protein. You can also few spoons of grated coconut, for the extra taste and nutritional value.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 10 Minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Red Rice Aval - 1 1/2 Cups

Boiled Mung Bean - 1 Cup

Chopped Bell Pepper(Green, Orange & Red) - 1 1/2 Cups

Onion - 1

Grated ginger - 1/2 Tsp

Grated Carrot - 1 (Leave this out, if you are on a diabetic diet)

Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 Cup

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Red Chili powder - 1/2 Tsp or to taste (you can substitute chopped green chilies, since this was for my kid's lunch box. I didn't want him to run into a chili piece accidentally so substituted it with red chili powder)

Lemon Juice - 1 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Tempering

Coconut Oil - 2 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Split Urad Dal - 1/2 Tsp

Curry leaves - few

Method

1) Heat a wide mouthed pan and add coconut oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds.

After the seeds stop spluttering, add the urad dal and once it slightly browns add the curry leaves.

2) Now add the grated ginger, chopped onions and bell pepper.

3) Add little bit of salt and saute for a few minutes till the bell pepper is tender.

4) Now add the grated carrot and boiled mung bean and saute for few minutes.

5) Place the red rice aval in a colander and wash it few times. Since the one I use is the unpolished variety there will be lot of husk. So wash few times, to remove the husk and also till the flakes become soft.

Squeeze out the extra water.

6) To the vegetables add turmeric powder, rest of the salt, red chili powder and squeezed out aval(rice flakes). Combine and leave it in the stove for 2 minutes and then switch off.

7) After few minutes add the squeezed lemon juice combine thoroughly and serve with a cup of organic yogurt.

Events

This goes to Kurinji Kathambam event - Rice Flakes.

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Split Chick Pea Savory Pancake (Besan Puda/Pudla)



If you are looking for a protein rich, low carb, gluten free, infact grain free breakfast or lunch option, this spicy pancake would fit perfect for all the above dietary requirements. I make it atleast once a week, and you can add different vegetables like spinach, cabbage to suit your taste buds. Try this and let me know how you liked it.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 15 Minutes

Makes - 4 Pancakes (This depends on the size and the thickness of the pancake you make)

Ingredients

Besan Flour (Split Chick Pea Flour) -1 Cup

Yogurt - 1/4 Cup

Water - 1/4 Cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chili - 2 or to taste

Salt - 3/4 th Tsp or to taste

Chopped Cilantro or Spinach - 1/4 Cup

Grated Ginger - 1/2 Tsp

Onion - 1

Garlic - 1 Clove (optional)

Ajwain (Carom seeds) - 1/2 Tsp

Oil - 4 Tsp

Method

1) Combine the besan flour, turmeric powder, salt, chopped spinach or cilantro, grated ginger, garlic, onion and ajwain.

2) To this add the yogurt and water and make a batter.

3) Heat an iron griddle, once it is hot take a ladle of batter and spread into thin circle.

4) Add a tsp of oil around the pancake, once the panckae is cooked on one side and flip and cook the other side.

5) Remove from the griddle and serve hot with Chutney or Pickle of your choice. I served it with mint chutney.

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Adai - Protein Dosa

Nutritional Info - Legumes are an excellent source of easily digestible protein, fiber, iron, folic acid, and other B vitamins. Legumes are rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to help improve insulin resistance. Legumes contain low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium - a combination that is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Folate, a mineral also found in abundance in legumes, is thought to reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a compound that can boost heart disease risk.



Adai is an authentic South Indian main dish made with a combination of rice and lentils. It can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Cooking Time : 20 min

Preparation Time : 10-20 min

Serves 4 to 6.







Ingredients



Thoor Dhal - 1/2 cup

Channa Dhal - 1/2 cup

Whole green moong - 1 cup

Brown Rice - 1 cup

Split Urad Dhal - handful

Green or Red chilly - 1 or to taste

Salt to taste

Ginger - 1 inch piece.

Curry leaves - handful

Asafoetida - 1 small piece.

Onion - 1 finely chopped.

Oil

Water





Method to make Adai



1) Rinse and soak the rice and dhal together for 2-3 hours.

2) Drain the water from the rice/dhal and add the ginger, curry leaves, green or red chilly, asafoetida and salt.

3) Use a blender and grind the above to little coarse mixture.

4) Add the chopped onions or you can use your own variation of grated cabbage, carrot, scallion etc to the batter.

5) Heat the iron griddle and pour a ladle full of the batter and make a round dosa, put a small hole(circle shape) in the center of the batter,

as it will evenly and quickly cook.

6) Pour a tsp of oil and once it is cooked on one side , turn and place the other side of the adai and remove it once cooked.

7) Serve it with avial, sambhar, chutney, milagai/Chutney powder.

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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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Ragi Urundai(Steamed Finger Millet Dumplings)

Do you know Ragi(Finger Millet) is the perfect food if you are looking for an alternate to Rice, Wheat, Corn etc as a staple. Easy to digest, gluten free, perfect for kids as well as adults. The best food for weight watchers, for people looking for low carb diet. The black chick pea (kala channa) and green mung bean are the best source of protein. A combination of all these three make the perfect breakfast along with some coconut chutney(coconut has fatty acids that provide both energy (nutrients) and raw material for antimicrobial fatty acids and monoglycerides (functional components)) and a glass of vegetable juice. Keeps you charged and full for hours.



Preparation Time - 5 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 Minutes

Serves - 2



Ingredients

Ragi (Finger Millet) Flour - 12 oz

Whole Black Chick Pea Flour(Kala Channa Besan) - 4 oz

Whole Green  Gram Flour(Green Mung Flour) - 4 oz

Water - 2 1/2 cups (Around 2 times the flour)

Finely chopped coconut pieces - 2 Tbsp

Salt - 1 Tsp or more to taste



Tempering



Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Green or Red Chili - 1 or more to taste



Method



1) Heat a pan and add coconut oil, once the oil is hot add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the asafoetida powder, chili, curry leaves and then the water.

2) Combine all the three flours and keep them ready.

3) Once the water starts boiling add the salt and the coconut pieces. Quickly but little by little add the flour to this boiling water while combining using a heavy spoon without forming any lumps.

4) Keep combining and let this sit in the stove till all the water evaporates and then switch off the stove.

5) Now transfer the cooked dough to a wide plate and let this cool completely.

6) After the dough is completely cooled, grease your palm with oil and make small balls using the center of your palm.

7) Place these balls in a greased bowl and steam it covered for 15 Minutes.

8) Serve these balls hot with chutney and enjoy.



Notes - You can buy ragi, green mung, kala channa. Wash, rinse and drain and sprout it. Once sprouted sun dry and till they become crisp and get them ground in bulk. Normally ragi alone is made into dumplings in some of the southern parts of India. But these dumplings have to be eaten when it is steaming hot and with a side dish sambhar(spiced lentil stew). The addition of the bean flours, softens the whole thing and the steamed dumplings don't get hard and stays the same way even for hours.

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Ragi Idli(Steamed Finger Millet Dumplings)

Finger millet/Ragi is an important staple food in parts of eastern and central Africa and India.

Ragi is praised for its unique diet for reducing weight (least fat containing grain) and also good for diabetes ,

hyper cholesterol and triglycerides. It is one of the most healthy foods due to to its rich content of nutrients.

Finger millet is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine, it is also rich in iron and phosphorus.

Finger millet has high fibre content and the highest calcium content among all the food grains.

Generally, the whole grains are important sources of B-complex vitamins, which are mainly concentrated in

the outer bran layers of the grain.

Preparation Time – 25 Minutes

Cooking Time – 30 Minutes

Serves – 4 to 5

Ingredients

White Urad Dal –1/2 Cup

Ragi Flour – 1 1/4 Cup

Salt – 2 Tsp or more to taste

Water

Method

1) Rinse and drain Urad dal till you get a clear water. Now soak in enough water for 2-3 hours.

2) Using a blender grind the urad dal adding the soaked water little by little till you get a smooth fluffy batter.

3) Mix the Urad dal batter, Ragi flour and Salt and mix them thoroughly.

4) Leave it over night for the batter to ferment nicely, on cold winter days switch on the oven light and leave

the batter inside the oven overnight. The heat from the light will make the batter to ferment.

5) Now use cooking spray and grease the idli plates, thoroughly combine the fermented batter and pour the batter

in the greased plates and steam them for 15 minutes on medium heat in a pressure cooker or pan till they are cooked.

9) Serve hot with sambar, the Ragi Idlis taste best when they are hot.

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Ragi & Urad(White Lentil) Dosai/Crepe

Finger millet/Ragi is an important staple food in parts of eastern and central Africa and India.

Ragi is praised for its unique diet for reducing weight (least fat containing grain) and also good for diabetes ,

hyper cholesterol and triglycerides. It is one of the most healthy foods due to to its rich content of nutrients.

Finger millet is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine, it is also rich in iron and phosphorus.

Finger millet has high fibre content and the highest calcium content among all the food grains.

Generally, the whole grains are important sources of B-complex vitamins, which are mainly concentrated in

the outer bran layers of the grain.

Preparation Time – 25 Minutes

Cooking Time – 30 Minutes

Serves – 4 to 5

Ingredients

White Urad Dal – 1/2 Cup

Ragi Flour – 1 1/2 Cups

Green Chili – 2 or more to taste

Ginger – small piece

Curry Leaves - handful

Salt – 2 Tsp or more to taste

Oil – 2 Tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 Tsp

Asafoetida – pinch

Oil

Water

Method

1) Soak Urad Dal for 2-3 hours. Rinse, drain and grind to fine paste adding ginger, green chili and curry leaves.

2) To this ground Urad Dal, add Ragi flour,salt and enough water to make a thin batter slightly thin

than Pancake batter.

3) Heat a pan, add oil and then mustard seeds and asafoetida and once the mustard seeds stop spluttering

add this to the dosa batter.

4) Heat an iron griddle, once it is hot take a ladle full of batter and make a thin circle and pour a tsp of oil

around it. Once it is well cooked, flip and cook the other side too.

5) Once both the sides are well cooked serve it hot with Chutney or Sambar of your choice.

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Mixed Vegetable Uthappam(Savoury Lentil & Rice Pancake stuffed with Vegetables) & Cilantro(Kothamalli) Chutney

Know what you Eat - Uthappam is Savoury pancake like dish made out of rice and lentil batter stuffed with vegetables. It is a one pot meal with carb, protein and the goodness of vegetables and coconut. The lentil (Urad Dal) is a bean grown in Souther Asia and is black in color. This lentil is a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. This lentisl are also a good source of two B-vitamins, protein and iron with with virtually no fat. The dehusked lentil is used in this dish and will be available in any Asian Indian store. Brightly colored vegetables are rich sources of some of the best nutrients available. Vegetables are a powerful source of antioxidants. These antioxidants work together to effectively neutralize free radicals, which can travel through the body causing huge amounts of damage to cells. Free radicals are major players in the build up of cholesterol in the arteries that leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, the nerve and blood vessel damage seen in diabetes.

Cilantro is a good source of Iron and magnesium and is rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids and active phenolic acid compounds, all of which are good for you. They also contain contain an antibacterial compound that may prove to be a safe, natural means of fighting Salmonella, a frequent and sometimes deadly cause of foodborne illness.

Uthappam is savoury lentil & rice South Indian pancake stuffed with vegetables.

Cooking Time - 20 mins
Preparation Time - 10 mins(Excluding the batter)

Ingredients for Uthappam

White Urad Dal(White Lentil) - 1 cup
Boiled Rice(Idli rice - This is not polished white rice and will be slightly brown in color) - 2 1/2 cups
Salt to taste

Batter - 1 1/2 cups
Finely Chopped vegetables packed - 1 cup(Onion, Red & Green Bell Pepper, Grated Carrot)
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp
Chopped Coconut pieces - 2 tbsp(not grated coconut)
Grated Ginger - 2 tsp
Finely Chopped Green Chilli - 1 tsp(optional)
Oil - 6 tsp

Method

1) Rinse and drain Urad dal till you get a clear water. Now soak in enough water for 2-3 hours.
2) Rinse and drain Idli rice and soak in enough water for 6 hours.
3) Using a stone grinder/blender grind the urad dal adding the soaked water little by little till you get a smooth fluffy batter.
4) Now grind the rice into a fine paste adding water little by little.
5) Mix the Urad dal batter, Rice batter and Salt and mix them thoroughly.
6) Leave it over night for the batter to ferment nicely, on cold winter days switch on the oven light and leave the batter inside the oven overnight. The heat from the light will make the batter to ferment.
7) I use this batter for making Idli as well as Uthappam and this batter can be served for 3-4 people for 3-4 days.
8) Combine the chopped vegetables, cilantro, ginger, coconut and little bit of salt
9) For making Uthappam, heat a iron griddle once hot take a ladle of batter and on the top spread a handful of chopped mixed vegetables and pour a tsp of oil around the batter.
10) Cover it and cook for 2-3 mins in medium heat and once once side is well cooked and the batter on the top has changed color flip and now cook the other side without covering for a minute.
11) Once well cooked remove and serve with chutney of your choice.
12) I make different chutneys and the one in the photo is cilantro chutney and the recipe is as follows.

Cilantro (Kothamalli) Chutney

Ingredients

Cilantro - 1 bunch
Red chilli - 4 to 6 or to taste
Split Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
Asafoetida piece - small one(don't add lot of it, the food will be flavorful but will give a bitter taste)
Tamarind - Gooseberry sized ball
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Sal to taste

Method

1) Chop the roots of the cilantro, wash, rinse and remove the thick stalks.
2) Now chop the cilantro leaves and thin stalks and keep it aside.
3) Soak the tamarind in little bit of hot water (1 tbsp) and set it aside.
4) Heat oil add mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add asafoetida piece, red chilli and urad dal and saute till the dal slightly browns.
5) Now in a blender grind the red chilli, asafoetida and tamarind.
6) Now add the chopped cilantro and grind for few minutes(may be around 2 mins).
7) Add the roasted mustard seeds and urad dal to the cilantro and quickly grind once again for few seconds.
8) Serve it with Uthappam and enjoy

Event Participation

1) This goes to Dosa Corner event hosted by Padma.

2) This dish goes to MLLA-13th helping guest hosted by Sunshinemom, event started by Susan.

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Finger Millet(Ragi), Black Chick Pea, Green Bean Dosai/Savoury Pancake

Know what you Eat -Finger millet(Ragi) is a very nutritious food with a complex carbohydrate profile and low glycemic index. It is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine which is lacking on staples like polished rice or maize meal. Pearl millet is different from ragi, being light yellow in color. It is also good in nutrients but ragi is much superior than pearl millet. Green Mung bean, Black chick pea(Garbanzos) both very good source of protein. In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, garbanzos can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Garbanzos are rich in iron and low in calories and virtually fat-free. Green bean is also a rich source fiber which enables one to lower the high cholesterol level in body system. The high fiber in green bean yields complex carbohydrate which improves digestion. Complex carb helps to stabilize blood sugar in our body by preventing rapid rise after meal. It keeps our energy at an even level. Frequent consumption of green bean is beneficial to diabetes and also for high cholesterol. Chia is very good source of omega-3.

From the time Our Doctor suggested to use these three combination of grain and beans Ragi, Black Chick Pea and Green Mung Bean extensively as they give a combination of complex carbohydrate and protein. I started preparing different dishes using these three flours and this is one of them.

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 20 mins

Serves - 3 to 4

Ingredients

Ragi(Finger Millet) Flour - 1 cup

Black Chick Pea Flour - 1/2 cup

Green Mung Bean Flour - 1/2 cup

Powdered Chia - 2 tbsp

Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup

Shredded Cabbage + Carrot - 1/4 cup

Green chilli and ginger paste - 1/2 tsp

Chopped cilantro - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Water

Oil - 5 tsp

Method

1) Combine all three flours, add chopped onion, shredded cabbage, carrot, cilantro, chilli and ginger paste.

2) Now add the salt and powdered chia and add enough water to make a pancake like batter.

3) Heat a iron griddle, take a ladle full of the batter and spread into circular motion to make a perfect circle.

4) Add 1/2 tsp spoon of oil around the batter and once cooked thoroughly, flip and cook the other side adding little bit of oil.

5) Remove and serve with dip or chutney of your choice.

Event Participation

1) This goes to Dosa Corner event hosted by Padma.

2) This dish goes to MLLA-13th helping guest hosted by Sunshinemom, event started by Susan.

3) This heart healthy and budget friendly dish goes to Heart of the matter-budget friendly foods hosted by Michelle.

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Powerpacked Multigrain Porridge(Kanji)

Know what you Eat -Finger millet(Ragi) is a very nutritious food with a complex carbohydrate profile and low glycemic index. It is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine which is lacking on staples like polished rice or maize meal. Mung bean, Black chick pea, Broken and roasted bengal gram are very good source of protein. Quinoa is a complete protein food with all the essential amino acids in them. Oats and barley are rich in fiber. Chia seeds are good source of omega 3. Almonds are good source of Vitamin E.



 Do you know even Kids experience stress? My elder one will be going to fourth grade from September. When he started preschool, before going to school he would refuse to have any breakfast. If we force him, he would throw up. I tried different things starting from pancake, waffle, toast, cereal, Idli and Dosa. He wasn't a fussy eater, but none of these things would work on a school day. I didn't feel quite comfortable sending him with a glass of milk and then the idea of giving this home made porridge stuck me. This porridge is made in lot of house holds in South India for years and even now. Many of you might me familiar with it , i just added few of the other grains to make it power packed. Now i give this porridge to my daughter every day for breakfast and i also have it some times to get some instant energy. To top it all, my Sister's younger one loved this porridge. She was visiting us with her kids for few weeks and i am posting this one especially for her as she wanted to make some for her toddler.





Ingredients



African Finger Millet (Ragi) - 4 cups

Whole green mung bean - 1/2 cup

Roasted bengal gram(Dalia) - 1/2 cup

Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 Cup

Quinoa - 1/2 cup

Sprouted Black Chick Pea - 1/2 cup

Almonds - 1/2 cup

 Chia seeds - 1/4 cup



 If going gluten free ignore the following two ingredients

Oats - 1/2 Cup

Barley - 1/4 Cup



  Method



 1) Rinse, drain and soak ragi grain over night in water. Then drain them and tie in a fine muslin cloth. Once ragi starts sprouting, remove from the muslin cloth and spread it out on cotton cloth to remove excess moisture. Sun or shade dry till they are dried. Now dry roast this sprouted ragi till you get a sweet aroma.



2) Do the same procedure for Green mung bean and black chick pea, leave them to sprout. Dry them and roast them till they are well roasted.



3) Dry roast Roasted bengal gram(Dalia), peanuts, Quinoa, Almonds, Chia seeds and (Oats & Barley).



4) Combine all the roasted grains and in a food processor grind them to fine powder and store in a airtight container.



5) I normally keep some outside and all the excess porridge powder in a freezer.



  To make the porridge



1) Take 2 tbsp of porridge powder and mix in 1/4 cup of water without any lumps, boil for 5-7 minutes till the porridge is completely cooked. Now add sugar or powdered jaggery and 3/4 cup of milk and mix thoroughly and enjoy.



2) If you don't want it sweet, add little bit of salt and some butter milk and enjoy.



3) To make a thick bowl of porridge add 4 tbsp of porridge powder and use 1/2 cup of water and cook it. Now add little bit of milk to the desired consistency.



 4) You can also add roasted cardamom seeds and saffron strands and grind along with porridge powder to get a nice aroma.



5) The variations you can make or endless with this one.



6) This is good even for people with diabetes because of the complex carbohydrate profile of ragi and the power packed protein content of the other grains. 

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Fruit Salad with Homemade Granola in Greek Yogurt

Know what you Eat - Fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. Yogurt promotes intestinal health, improves lactose intolerance, builds stronger bones, enhances immunity, lowers blood pressure, and may even have anticancer and weight-loss effects. Granola is packed with goodness of whole grains & nuts and is a good source of fiber, protein and omega-3.
We normally have a very strict diet pattern at our home, very balanced food with whole grains, pulses and vegetables. But had to attend few parties continously and were over whelmed with the food we ate. So on a Sunday after all the overeating on Friday and Saturday, we had couple of people for lunch and i made this sinless dessert. Everybody just loved it, it was tasty and healthy too. You can have this dish as dessert in small quantities or have a bowl ful as your breakfast, light lunch or dinner.

Cooking Time - 20 mins(If making homemade granola ) otherwise none
Preparation Time - 10 mins
Serves - 6

Homemade Granola

Old fashioned Oats - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Chopped Almonds & Walnuts - 1/4 cup
Chopped Raisins & Dates - 1/4 cup
Chia Seeds - 1 tbsp
Wheat Germ - 1 tbsp
White sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Canola or Sunflower Oil - 1 tbsp
Baked Sweetened Banana chips - 1 tbsp(optional)
Sunflower seeds - 1 tbsp(optional)
Honey - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Method

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Combine all of the above ingredients except the raisins, dates and baked sweetened banana chips and bake in baking tray covered with parchment paper.
3) Keep stirring the contents continously and bake till the Oats slightly brown and nuts turn crunchy.
4) Once baked add the chopped dates, nuts and sweetened banana chips.
For the fruit Salad

Ingredients

Organic Oikos Non fat plain yogurt - 16 0z(2 cups)
Apple, Orange, Mango - 1 each
Strawberries - 1/2 cup
Orange juice - 2 tbsp
Grated Orange rind - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp(optional)
Granola about - 1 1/2 cups

Method

1) Chop Apple, Orange, Mango and strawberries into small pieces.
2) Add Orange juice, orange rind, honey to yogurt.
3) Now add the chopped fruits and granola to the yogurt and combine thoroughly.
4) Serve chilled and have this as a wholesome breakfast , dessert or a as a nutritious snack anytime of the day.


Event Participation

The granola goes to Low fat eggless baking event hosted by Madhu.

The fruit salad with granola goes to Food for 7 Stages of Life - Healthy Fast Food hosted by Radhika and Sudeshna.

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