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Top 3 winter ragi (millet) recipes for children

Dec 14, 2022 02:55 PM IST

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 )

Nutritious ragi recipes 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(pinterest)
Nutritious ragi recipes 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(pinterest)

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

Ragi barfi recipe(pinterest)
Ragi barfi recipe(pinterest)

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

Ragi uttapam recipe(Pinterest)
Ragi uttapam recipe(Pinterest)

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

Multi-millet pancakes recipe(pinterest)
Multi-millet pancakes recipe(pinterest)

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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