Thinai Pongal| Millet Recipes

Thinai Ven Pongal| Foxtail millet Pongal is a healthy variation to the traditional pongal made with rice and moong dal. Here rice is replaced with thinai to make this dish healthy. I have shared another Thinai recipe in my blog Thinai Pasiparuppu Payasam which is also an instant & quick to make healthy dessert.
Millets are the best healthy replacement for rice. Nowadays people have become health conscious and consume healthy alternatives like millets. Hope to share more such easy millet recipes when time permits.

Preparation Time:5 minutes
Cooking Time:15 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Serves:3-4

INGREDIENTS:
Thinai/ Fox tail millet- 3/4 cup
Moong dal/Pasiparuppu- 1/2 cup
Salt- to taste

To temper:
Oil+ Ghee- 4 teaspoon
Ginger, finely chopped- 1 teaspoon
Cumin/Jeera- 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 2 strand
Cashewnuts, broken- 5

PROCEDURE:

• Dry roast the moong dal inside the pressure cooker with till light golden colour starts to appear; now switch off the flame.
• Add thinai with this roasted moong dal and rinse with some water to remove the dirt from dal and thinai.

• Add 5 cups of water and salt; Close with a lid and pressure cook for about 2 whistles.
• Heat oil and ghee together in a pan and add chopped ginger, cumin seeds, peppercorns, curry leaves and broken cashews; fry everything till the cashews starts to turn golden.

• Once the pressure releases open the pressure cooker and add the tempering and mix well and cook for a minute or the moisture would almost evaporate and get to a semi solid consistency.

• Switch off the flame and serve with any chutney or sambar.

Read More »

Thinai Pasiparuppu Payasam

Thinai Payasam| Thinai Paruppu Payasam| Foxtail millet Moong dal Kheer| Millet Payasam is an easy to make healthy version of a normally rich payasam. I love the texture of thinai in this payasam. It feels like sago pearls when you consume the payasam. The taste of this millet payasam was really amazing. I can taste this payasam with out much guilt which I feel while consuming other desserts.

You could make this payasam with out adding moong dal too.I will share that version later. I felt adding moong dal increases the taste of the payasam.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Serves:6-8

INGREDIENTS:
Fox tail millet/ Thinai- 1/2 cup
Moong Dal/ Pasiparuppu- 1/2 cup
Jaggery- 1 and 1/4 cups
Milk/ coconut milk- 1 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon

Ghee- 2 teaspoon

Cashews-10 nos
Raisins- 10 nos
Coconut pieces, chopped-1 tablespoon

PROCEDURE:

• Dry roast the foxtail millet inside the pressure cooker till nice aroma comes out; set aside. Now roast the moong dal till light golden colour appears.

• Wash them in water if required and pressure cook with 4 cups of water for about 4 whistles on medium flame.
• When the pressure releases open the pressure cooker and add the jaggery/ Jaggery syrup(Heat the jaggery in a pan with ¼ cup of water and make syrup and strain to remove impurities) with cardamom powder. Mix them well and cook for 5 mins. 

• Add the milk and bring it to boil and immediately switch off the flame.
• In a pan heat ghee and fry the cashewnuts, raisins and coconut together till golden colour.

• Now add the nuts with ghee into the mixture and mix well, then switch off the stove.

• Note: You could replace cows milk with coconut milk or you could use 1:1 ratio.

Read More »

Ragi Puttu

       Ragi is rich in many nutrients and provides Calcium for growing children and older adults helps improving bone strengthening, good energy source for weight watchers it gives the feeling of fullness when consumed,it beats high sugar and cholesterol.

       This puttu is a super easy puttu and if it is consumed with White/ Black channa curry (Kadala Curry) gives a complete nutritious wholesome meal with necessary carbohydrates, proteins and minerals necessary for our daily diet. I prefer White channa curry than Black channa curry especially for this puttu. Really tasty and also a healthy variation for the normal puttu can be eaten without any guilt. You can add very little coconut if you donot like to add coconut.

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi Flour, roasted- 2 cups

Salt- to taste

Coconut- 4 tablespoons

PROCEDURE:

• If you do not get the roasted ragi flour take the flour and roast it on a low flame till you get the roasted smell of the flour.
• Transfer the roasted ragi flour in a bowl and add salt and water(unlike normal puttu it requires less water) and mix well with hand and wet the whole mixture. It forms some lumps also. Donot worry.

• Add the whole lot into a blender and pulse for two three times. Now you get the wet sand kind of powder without any lumps.
• In puttu maker cylinder keep the grating(Chillu), then add grated coconut, followed by two hand full of wet ragi powder then again layer with grated coconut then repeat the ragi powder layer and top it with coconut. Likewise fill alternatively the whole puttu cylinder.

• Close the cylinder with lid and keep on top of boiling water inside the puttu vessel, steam for 5-7 minutes till the steam comesout from the lid holes of the cylinder.

• Note: This puttu can be made with chirata puttu maker or even made inside the idli steamer by spreading the wet ragi powder on top of a white cloth too.

Makes 2 cylinders(kutti) full of puttu.
You might also like my similar Healthy Puttu versions Oats Puttu, Carrot Puttu, Banana Puttu.

Read More »

Ragi Semiya Payasam/ Ragi Vermicelli Payasam/ Ragi Pal Payasam

       As everyone knows ragi is a healthy cereal. Here I have planned  a twist on the traditional Vermicelli Payasam by using Ragi Vermicelli. I did not find any difference in taste by using this healthy alternative.

       This payasam can also be served to elder age group by simply avoiding ghee in this recipe. Easy to prepare healthy tasty payasam in minutes. Ragi vermicelli took for me about only two minutes to cook. So a delicious healthy dessert is ready without any pain. Try this dessert....

INGREDIENTS:

Ragi vermicelli- 1/2 cup
Milk- 2 cups
Water- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1-2 tablespoons
Ragi flour- 1 teaspoon
Cardamom, crushed- 3 pods
Ghee- 1 teaspoon
Cahewnuts, broken- 5-6
Raisins- 10

PROCEDURE:

• Roast the vermicelli in a pan till some of the vermicelli turns to light white colour.
• Heat ghee in a pan; add the broken cashew nuts and raisin ; roast till golden colour and keep aside.

• Heat milk in a pan with water and sugar.
• Dissolve the ragi flour in normal milk and add this into the boiling milk.(It slightly thickens the payasam at the final stage)

• Keep on stirring and keep the flame to low heat. Now add the vermicelli and mix well. This vermicelli cooks fast in around 2 minutes.
• Add the crushed cardamom pods. Allow to boil for a minute to get the flavour. Now add the roasted cashews and raisins in  ghee. Switch off the gas and serve hot.

• Note: Adding Ragi flour in this recipe is optional. I have added to get the consistency as ragi vermicelli has less starchiness, i have added to give the texture to the paysam.
• Ragi vermicelli cooks fast in 2 minutes. So once the vermicelli cooks, reduce the flame and do other steps quick enough to maintain the texture of the vermicelli.
• Adjust the sweetness according to your taste.
• Can replace sugar with sugar free for diabetic individuals.

Read More »

Ragi Badam Kheer/ Ragi Kesar Badam/ Finger millet Badam Milk

     This recipe makes milk delicious and more nutritious. It takes a max. of 10 minutes to prepare the drink. Ragi adds nutrition and texture. The saffron gives colour and flavour. Almonds add nutrition and richness to this dish.

Health Benefits of Ragi includes:

• Ragi It make kids bone stronger, acts as a tonic for lack of milk production in lactating women.
• Ragi is a rich source of calcium and fiber and it helps to lower cholesterol level.
• Ragi is one of the best health foods for reducing weight, controlling diabetes and cooling the body.
• Ragi can be used as a substitute for people allergic to milk.

Almonds do have varied benefits:

• Helps Lower LDL-Cholesterol and Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
• Protect against Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease and are cardio-protective
• Almond's Healthy Fats May Help You Lose Weight

Saffron also does have its own benefits:

The active components in saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines as antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-oxidant and digestive.

INGREDIENTS:

Milk- 2cups (I used low fat milk)

Ragi powder- 1 tablespooon

Almonds/ badam (Blanched/ Normal)- 10

Saffron strands- ½ teaspoon

Sugar- 1 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• In a milk pan add milk, sugar, ragi powder and dissolve well with a ladle without forming any lumps.
• Switch on the gas and allow the ragi mixed milk to boil. When it starts to boil stir continuously with a ladle.
• Reduce the flame to medium and cook ragi milk (till the raw taste of ragi goes completely) around two to three minutes constantly stirring.

• Take almonds in a blender to make a fine power and add this in to the boiling ragi milk.
• Add saffron strands as well. Allow to cook for two minutes and put off the gas.
• Serve hot or chilled.

• Note: During the whole process constant stirring is essential to avoid forming lumps.
• Ragi should not be added to boiling milk,  since hot milk may cause lumps to be formed.
• Don’t allow to cook for long time. This affects the taste and consistency.

Read More »

Ragi Dosa/ Finger Millet Dosa/ Koovaragu Dosa

Finger Millet/ Ragi (Tamil: Kelvargu; Malayalam: Koovarugu; Hindi: Mandua; Telugu: Ragulu; Kannada: Ragi)

     Health benefits include: 1) Good source of natural calcium for growing children and older adults and helps improve bone strengthening 2) Energy for weight watchers, as it contains the amino acid tryptophan that reduces the appetite. Besides, being high in fibre, it provides a feeling of fullness when consumed 3) Beats high sugar and cholesterol – Ragi is beneficial for diabetics as well as those with high cholesterol, as the high fibre content of Ragi makes it a food item with low glycaemic index. That is, it results in slow increase in blood sugar level.

You can prepare crispy, paper thin tasty as well as nutritious dosas with this batter.

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour – 2 cups

Urad dhal- ½ cup

Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds- 1 teaspoon

Salt- to taste

Oil-to grease

PROCEDURE

• Soak urad dhal and fenugreek seeds together for 1-2 hours. Grind as a fine paste in a blender.
• Add the ragi flour with ground urad dhal, ¼ cup at a time and mix well with ladle without forming any lumps.
• Add salt to taste. Mix well and allow to ferment for around 6-7hours or overnight
• After fermentation mix the batter well with a ladle to make crispy dosas. If the batter is too thick add a bit of water and mix well.
• Slightly grease the dosa pan with oil. Add a ladle full batter and spread paper thin and allow to cook.  Flip and cook the dosas if you like.
• Serve hot with any chutneys/ sambar.

Read More »

Ragi Chapathi/ Finger Millet Roti/ Ragi Roti/ Koovaragu Chapathi

    Finger Millet/ Ragi (Tamil: Kelvargu; Malayalam: Koovarugu; Hindi: Mandua; Telugu: Ragulu; Kannada: Ragi)

     Millets are particularly high in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium.

Finger millet (344g) has the richest in calcium content, about 10 times that of rice (45g) or wheat (41g).

     Because of high fiber content, ragi makes digestion nicely and slowly hence your stomach is full for long time and you won’t feel hungry and if you can easily avoid eating excess food. It is full of calcium, that's why it can be a good substitute for milk. Ragi also helpful if you have cholesterol problems & is the best food to lower the cholesterol levels in your body.

     We love the flavor of ragi when its prepared as chapatis. The roasted smell as well as taste of ragi while making chapatis is great when I ate. I have planned to incorporate this on my weekly menu. Healthy tasty chapatis.
 

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour (raw/ roasted) - 2cups

Salt- to taste

Hot water- as required

PROCEDURE

RAW RAGI FLOUR:

METHOD 1: (COOKING)

In a vessel add a cup of raw ragi flour, a cup of water and salt on top of heat. Cook this mixture by constant stirring (without forming lumps) till the water evaporates and the mixture comes together as a semi-thick slurry.

Switch off the gas and add immediately the remaining cup of ragi flour mixing well with ladle first when the dough is hot & later with hand to make the dough. Take lemon sized dough and make it as a small ball. Apply ragi flour to the table and roll each ball into rotis using rolling pin (don’t apply more pressure while rolling the dough. It may tend to break due to lack of gluten). Cut the uneven edges using a knife. Grease the pan and cook the rotis on both sides occasionally pressing them with ladle.

METHOD 2: (ROASTING)

Take the raw ragi flour and roast in a heavy bottomed/non-stick vessel, till you smell the roasted flour. Allow to cool. Boil the water to a rolling hot stage. Mix ragi flour with hot water, season with salt. Knead and combine flour into a dough when it is hot using a ladle first & then with hand when the dough slightly cools. Take lemon sized dough and make it as a small ball. Apply ragi flour to the table and roll each ball into rotis using rolling pin (don’t apply more pressure while rolling the dough. It may tend to break due to lack of gluten). Cut the uneven edges using a knife. Grease the pan and cook the rotis on both sides occasionally pressing them with ladle.

ROASTED RAGI FLOUR:

If you get ready made roasted ragi flour, add salt and hot water; repeat the above steps.

Read More »

Ragi Idli/ Finger Millet Steamed Cakes/ Koovaragu Idali

Finger Millet/ Ragi (Tamil: Kelvargu; Malayalam: Koovarugu; Hindi: Mandua; Telugu: Ragulu; Kannada: Ragi)

     Nutritionally, ragi is higher in protein and minerals in comparison to rice.  Red millet is primarily a source of energy in the diet. It is also rich in fibre and therefore suitable for people trying to lose weight. Ragi, unlike wheat does not contain gluten (a protein found in wheat), and can be easily consumed by people with wheat intolerance. 

     Health benefits include: 1) Good source of natural calcium for growing children and older adults and helps improve bone strengthening 2) Energy for weight watchers, as it contains the amino acid tryptophan that reduces the appetite. Besides, being high in fibre, it provides a feeling of fullness when consumed 3) Beats high sugar and cholesterol – Ragi is beneficial for diabetics as well as those with high cholesterol, as the high fibre content of Ragi makes it a food item with low glycaemic index. That is, it results in slow increase in blood sugar level.

     I have used little cooked rice to get softer idlies. You can prepare crispy, paper thin tasty as well as nutritious dosas also with the same batter. 

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour – 2 cups

Urad dhal- ½ cup

Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds- 1 teaspoon

Cooked rice/ sadam/ choru-3 tablespoons

Salt- to taste

Oil-to grease

PROCEDURE

• Soak urad dhal, cooked rice and fenugreek seeds together for 1-2 hours. Grind as a fine paste in a blender.
• Add the ragi flour with ground urad dhal,  ¼ cup at a time and mix well with ladle without forming any lumps.
• Add salt to taste. Mix well and allow to ferment for around 6-7hours or overnight
• After fermentation mix the batter well with a ladle to make soft idlies. If the batter is too thick add a bit of water and mix well.
• Pour water inside the idli steamer and allow to boil till rolling hot. Slightly grease the idli plates with hands dipped in oil. Fill the idli plates and steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with any chutneys/ sambar.

Read More »