Saturday, July 13, 2013

Ragi or Nachni Idiyappam / Red Millet String Hoppers


Our today’s recipe is a healthy breakfast made with Red Millet. Finger millets/Red millets are more commonly known as Nachni or Ragi in India. The speciality of these tiny deep red pearls is the abundance of nutrients present in them. In the hills of India they are part of regular diet regime no wonder people living in these hills are so fit and rarely fall ill.

Red millet / Ragi has a very low glycemic index thus making its digestion process slow and helping in keeping the blood sugar levels at a constant ratio. It is a highly respected food amongst diabetes patients.

Red millet/ Ragi are healthier and safer to eat as there are no harmful chemical fertilizers or pesticides used in growing them hence they can be eaten with a free mind.

Idiyappam / String Hoppers is a common breakfast dish in Kerala, southern India. I have a made a variation to idiyappam by adding red millet / ragi to it. This red millet/ ragi idiyappam is a healthy dish cuisine made with minimal ingredients. You could serve this with vegetable kurma, chicken stew, egg or chicken curry.

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Ragi / Red Millet – 1 cup
Boiling water - 2 cups 
Salt to taste
Coconut oil or oil - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup (approx)
Coconut oil for greasing

Method:
Boil 2  cups water with salt and oil. Then slowly pour the hot water little by little into the rice flour & Ragi/Red millet mixer. Mix it immediately with an wooden spoon and then use clean hands to shape it to a ball. Place the lid and leave it aside for 15 mins.

While the dough is resting, grease the idiyappam maker and the idli plates. Sprinkle little grated coconut into each depression of the idli plate and keep aside.

The dough will be easier to handle once the heat reduces. Knead the mixture into a smooth yet firm dough. Stuff the dough into the idiyappam maker, close the lid and hand press the dough into swirls onto the idli plates.


Steam for 12-15 mins and allow to cool a bit. Serve warm with  Chicken curry / Egg curry.

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