Ragi Idli

Ragi also known as Indian millet is an popular grain in south India for its nutritious health benefits and a must diet for all ages. The biological benefits of ragi are pretty much the same as those of oats and barley. It provides carbo-hydrates including dietary fiber, B- vitamins ,iron, magnesium,selenium etc .

Ragi provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. And it is found to be very good diet for diabetic patients and helps in reducing bad blood cholesterol (LDL) lowering risk of heart disease and for proper bowel function. And especially the folate in whole grains helps to prevent neural tube birth defects during fetal development and during pregnancy.

Ragi porridge is very famous in olden days which is one of the secret of our ancestors healthy regime. B'coz of its health benefits , it becomes weekly diet of our family. This is one of the traditional recipe from my mother.

Ingredients:

Ragi flour - 3 cups

Urad dal/White lentil - 1 cup

Beaten Rice - 1 handful

salt

Method:

1. Soak the urad dal and poha in water for about 4 to 5 hours.

2. Then grind it well by adding little water every time, until you get paste like consistency.

3. Take a large bowl and pour the ragi flour and make it into a paste using water .

4. Then add urad dal paste and salt and mix it well.

5. Then keep the batter in microwave oven and just heat it for 1 minute.

6. As winter has started, you will be finding little difficulty in fermenting the batter. So for that just heat (mild heating) the batter for 1 minute in oven and close and keep in the same warm surroundings in the oven.

7. Prepare this batter in evening and allow it to ferment overnight.

8. Next morning, grease the idli plates and pour the batter into it and steam it for about 20 minutes.

9. you can enjoy these hot and tasty ragi idlis along with Chutney powder/with any chutney.

(Note: You can even make dosas with this batter).