5 healthy and low-calorie ragi recipes

Ragi is a wonder millet grain with incredible health benefits. Here are some healthy and low-calorie ragi recipes that you must try.

Ragi, sometimes referred to as finger millet or red millet, is a wonder millet grain. These tiny, rounded grains with a reddish hue are popular in India's Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka states. However, the once-popular cereal is now completely vanished from the diets of the majority of people. Given the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of finger millet for the human body, this is both a surprise and a shame. Its importance is doubled by the fact that it is a very adaptable crop that is superbly suited to the climatic conditions of India. Ragi has several health advantages and is a wonderful option for diabetics because it is full of fibre, minerals, and amino acids. Additionally, compared to regularly consumed grains like rice, wheat, and corn, it contains more polyphenols, which lower blood sugar.

5 healthy and low-calorie ragi recipes (depositphotos)

1. Ragi dosa

(Recipe by Instagram/@homecookingshow)

Ragi dosa recipe(pinterest)

Ingredients:

Ragi - 100 ml

Urad Dal - 50 gms

Idli Rice - 100 gms

Water

Rock salt

Oil

Method:

1. Soak ragi, urad dal and rice separately for about 3 hours

2. Once soaked, grind the urad dal to a smooth batter and take it in a bowl

3. Next, grind ragi and rice together to a smooth and fine batter and add it to the urad dal batter

4. Add some rock salt and mix it well

5. Let the batter ferment for about 8 hours

6. Once the batter is fermented, it is ready to make idlis and dosas

7. To make idlis, add the batter into the idli moulds and steam cook it

8. To make dosas, add a ladle of the batter onto the tawa and spread the batter thin

9. Add oil and cook both sides of the dosa by flipping it

10. You can serve the idlis and dosas hot with some chutney and sambar.

2. Ragi Ladoo

(Recipe by Instagram/@hoimecookingshow)

Ragi Ladoo recipe(pinterest)

Ingredients:

Ragi Flour - 1 Cup

A Few Cashew Nuts

Water - 1/2 Cup

Jaggery - 150 Gms

Cardamom Powder

Ghee

Method:

1. Heat a pan with some ghee, add the ragi flour and roast it for 5 mins on low flame, keep this aside

2. Heat a pan with some ghee and roast the cashew nuts and keep them aside

3. Heat a pot with some water, add jaggery and stir till the jaggery melts. Once the jaggery is melted, turn off the stove

4. Strain the jaggery syrup and let it come to room temperature

5. In a large bowl, take the ragi flour, add the roasted cashew nuts, cardamom powder, jaggery syrup, ghee and mix everything well

6. Take a small portion of the mixture and make small balls out of it. Healthy and tasty Ragi Ladoos are ready

7. You can store this in an air-tight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

3. Ragi porridge

(Recipe by Shilpa Jindal, Health & Wellness Coach)

Ragi porridge recipe(pinterest)

Ingredients:⠀

Ragi flour 1/4 cup⠀

Water 3/4 cup⠀

Whisked curd 1/4 - 1/2 cup⠀

Salt and pepper to taste ⠀

Green chilli 1 finely chopped ⠀

Grated ginger 1/2 tsp⠀

Jeera/cumin - 1/4 tsp⠀

Rai/ mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp⠀

Ghee/oil - 1 Tbsp ⠀

Curry leaves 5-6⠀

Method:

1. Take a pan, add ragi flour and dry roast on sim for 2-3 mins, stirring continuously. Slowly add water and using a whisper, keep on whisking so that there are no lumps.

2. Cook for 5-10 mins or until ragi looks glossy, stirring continuously. Add salt and pepper, give a final stir and switch off the flame.⠀

3. Let it cool for sometime and prepare the tadka/tempering in the meanwhile. Take a small tadka pan. Add ghee. Let rai and jeera splutter once hot. Sauté green chilli, curry leaves and ginger. ⠀

4. In a little-cooled ragi, whisk in some curd. Stir in half the tadka and use the other half for garnishing. Serve warm.

4. Ragi kheer

(Recipe by Instagram/@mylittlemoppet_official)

Ragi kheer recipe(istockphoto)

Ingredients:

Sprouted Ragi Powder - 4 tbsp

Dates Powder - 2 tbsp

Dry fruits powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Hot water -2 cups

Method:

1. Heat Ghee in a pan. Add Ragi powder and saute for 3-5 minutes until a nice aroma comes.

2. Add hot water little by little and whisk well without lumps.

3. Let it cook for 5 minutes on low flame. Add Dry fruits powder and dates powder.

4. Mix well and cook it further for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with saffron and serve warm.

5. Ragi idli

(Recipe by Nutritionist, Nandini Agarwal)

Ragi idli recipe(pinterest)

Ingredients:

1 cup semolina / bombay rava / sooji

1 cup ragi flour / finger millet / kezhvaragu

Salt to taste

1 cup curd / yogurt (sour)

1 cup water (add as required)

¼ tsp baking soda / cooking soda

Method:

1. Firstly, dry roast the rava on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Further, cool them completely before preparing idli.

2. Now transfer the dry roasted rava to a large mixing bowl. And also add ragi flour to it; furthermore add salt and curd.

3. Add water as required depending on curd thickness and give a good mix and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes, mix well and add water if required. get to idli batter consistency.

5. Just before steaming add a pinch of baking soda and mix well till it turns frothy.

6. Brush the plates with oil and pour the batter immediately into the idli plate. do not rest the batter. Also as other idlis you have to steam it for 8-10 mins on medium flame.

7. Furthermore, allow it to rest for 5 mins then unmould. Finally, serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

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