Top 3 winter ragi (millet) recipes for children
Millets support the vitamin, mineral, and dietary fibre requirements of kids and teenagers. Here are three healthy and tasty ways to include it in their diet.
Given Millet's crucial function in a child's growth and development, they are regarded as a wonder meal for children. The traditional diet of our people has always included these tiny, seeded grasses (millets). Due to their exceptional nutritional qualities, which have earned them the tag "Nutri Cereals," they have grown tremendously in prominence in recent years. Millets are an essential part of a child's diet because of their high fibre, protein, iron, and copper content. It is imperative to include crucial nutritional components in a child's diet while establishing a healthy diet for them to promote optimum growth. (Also read: 5 healthy and low-calorie ragi recipes )
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Bhavna Sharma, Head-Nutrition Sciences, ITC Ltd (Foods Division), says, "As children and adolescents have specific nutritional requirements due to the critical lifestyle they live, it becomes essential to meet their daily nutritional demands and guard against deficiencies, it is crucial to provide nutrient-dense foods in a balanced diet. Protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron, fibre, and other nutrients are some of the ones required to maintain children's growth and development."
Talking about the importance of millet in a child's diet, Dr. Bhavna says, "By substituting millets for grains in a diet that is primarily composed of rice, the nutritional status of children can be enhanced. Millets have high concentrations of minerals including calcium for bone health, iron, zinc for immunity, and many vital amino acids. Due to millet's excellent nutrient density, it has become clear that it can be used to treat malnutrition in children and to combat serious micronutrient deficiencies in teenagers, such as anaemia due to iron deficiency."
She further added, "Due to millet's strong resistance to extreme temperatures and lower nutrient requirements of the soil as compared to the production of rice and wheat, they are mostly Kharif crops (summer crops). Millets' hardiness enables them to endure the harsh winters in many regions of India. Millets can be consumed throughout various seasons, just like many other foods, including cereal grains and green vegetables. Sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (Bajra), and finger millet are among the common winter millets planted in India (ragi)."
Dr. Bhavna Sharma shared some nutritious recipes that can be easily tried at home to feed your little fussy eater and fill them up with packed nutrients to survive through the day this winter:
1. Ragi barfi
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serve size: 2 ragi barfis
Ingredients:
Ragi flour 15g 1 tablespoon
Jaggery 20 g 4 teaspoons
Almonds 2g 2 nos.
Cashews 2g 2 nos.
Milk 10 ml 2 teaspoons
Ghee 5 ml 1 teaspoon
Method:
1. Heat ghee in a shallow kadhai and once melted combine the ragi flour until no lumps are seen.
2. Add the jaggery into the mix and allow it to melt while stirring continuously add powdered almonds and cashews into the mixture and mix until evenly combined.
3. As the mixture starts to thicken add the milk and stir continuously.
4. Once the mixture becomes slightly firm and separates from the vessel pour it out onto a flat mould to about 1-inch thickness.
5. Once cooled cut into diamond shapes and optionally garnish with more almonds and cashews.
Nutritional composition for 2 barfis:
Energy (kcal) 202
Protein (g) 3
Fat (g) 7.7
Fibre (g) 2
Calcium (mg) 62
Iron (mg) 0.8
2. Ragi uttapam
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serve size: 2 ragi uttapam
Ingredients:
Ragi flour 30 1/3 rd cups
Carrot 25g 1/4 th cup
Dil leaves 5g 1 teaspoon
Tomato 25g 1/4 th cup
Onion 25g 1/4 th cup
Ghee 5 ml 1 teaspoon
Method:
1. Mix the ragi flour with water to form a thick batter and season with salt and 1/4 th teaspoon baking powder.
2. Heat a tawa and pour a thick dosa and cook till golden on one side.
3. Sprinkle finely chopped onion, Tomato, carrots and Dil leave and spread evenly on the dosa and cover to cook the vegetables.
4. Sprinkle ghee over the vegetables and flip the dosa to cook evenly.
5. Cook till golden on both sides and serve hot with coconut or peanut chutney.
Nutritional composition for 2 uttapams:
Energy (kcal) 180
Protein (g) 3
Fat (g) 5.6
Fibre (g) 4.4
Calcium (mg) 106
Iron (mg) 1.6
Nutri Fact: Finger millet is known for its highest calcium and potassium content among other Millet.
Multimillet: Jowar, Bajra, Ragi & Navane (Foxtail millet)
Individually or as multi millets in the form of whole grain or flour, introduce millets as nutritious snack options to your child’s daily diet. Multi millet mix is a combination of 5 nutritious millets. It includes jowar, Navane, bajra and ragi along with quinoa, a pseudo millet known for its high protein and fibre contents.
3. Multi-millet pancakes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serve size: 3 small multi-millet pancakes
Ingredients:
Multi millet mix 15 g 1 tablespoon
Whole wheat flour 30 g 1/3 rd cup
Egg 25g 1/4 th cup
Jaggery 15 g 1 tablespoon
Milk 50 ml 1/4 the cup
Butter 10 g 2 teaspoons
Method:
1. Mix the dry ingredients including, multi millet mix and whole wheat flour and ½ teaspoon baking powder until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs thoroughly until foamy and gently whisk in the jaggery powder and milk. Gently sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is free of any lumps.
3. Heat a non-stick pan, add half a teaspoon of butter to evenly grease the pan Pour in a ladle of the pancake batter and cook until golden on both sides.
4. Serve warm pancakes with maple syrup.
Nutritional values for 3 small pancakes:
Energy (kcal) 353
Protein (g) 9.7
Fat (g) 12
Fibre (g) 5
Calcium (mg) 91
Iron (mg) 1.6
Nutri Fact: Multi millet flours can be an excellent replacement for refined flours enhancing fibre and calcium intake in children. Pearl millet (bajra) is an excellent source of protein and B vitamins compared to refined cereals.
Numerous important nutrients can be found in abundance in millets. They significantly support the vitamin, mineral, and dietary fibre requirements of kids and teenagers. India has a long history of millet-rich meals, which have recently come to light due to their enormous potential to support the healthy growth and development of these young minds.
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