Stone Ground Ragi Flour & its Benefits
Origination of Finger Millet / Ragi
Finger Millet is regionally known as Ragi in South India. This historically significant nutritious crop is widely used in South Indian homes as staple food. This Millet originated from Ethiopia and Uganda. It was claimed to have been found in an Indian archaeological site dated to 1800 BC.
Why Millets
Millets are one of the traditional wholesome grains that carry tremendous health benefits in them. For ages, it has proved to be the most nutritious part of the diet.
This wonder grain is filled with vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and protein, Millets are the natural source for a proper and balanced diet meal. One can easily avoid many lifestyle disorders like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc with the intake of Ragi.
Millets release sugar slowly in the blood and also diminish glucose absorption. It can prevent cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcers and hyperglycemia. Millets also showed significantly lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. Since millets are superior to rice in all aspects of nutrition, they can be used to solve the rural as well as urban malnutrition problems that the world is facing today.
Ragi is one of the most common millets in India. The others are Barnyard Millet/Oodhalu,
Pearl Millet/ Bajra, Sorghum/Jowar, Foxtail Millet/Navane.
Finger Millet /Ragi
Ragi is the most common millet with the highest calcium content for stronger bones that grows easily in arid areas and often referred to as an anti-diabetic grain. The finger millet is malted and its grain is stone grounded to form flour.
The high amounts of antioxidants present in these grains act as anti-aging agents. Certain amino acids present in these grains aid in reducing weight, hence greatly useful in treating obesity. It is due to these innumerable nutritional and health benefits that millet came to be known as SUPER FOOD. The use of finger millet is on the rise in urban areas and is also finding a place in modern Indian kitchens.
Apart from using in traditional recipes like Ragi Kanji or Ragi Sankati or Ragi Ambali or Ragi Malt, Ragi Mudde or Ragi Rotti today, finger millet flour is extensively used in the preparation of a wide variety of products like Ragi Flakes, Ragi Noodles, and Ragi Vermicelli. It is also extensively used in the preparation of a large variety of bakery products like breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, etc. There are various food recipes of finger millet, including dosa, idli, and laddu.
In southern India, on pediatrician’s recommendations, finger millet is used in preparing baby food, because of its high nutritional content.
Ragi Malt – A famous house-hold drink in Indian Homes
Ragi Malt is made with just 3 ingredients — Water, Healthy Fibres Stone Ground Ragi flourF, and a little jaggery. When just starting, start with a small quantity of 1 tbsp ragi flour cooked in ½ cup water and just a pinch of jaggery.
- In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp of Healthy Fibres Stone Ground Ragi flour with about ¼ cup water to make a paste.
- Put on high heat ¾ cup water with jaggery of a marble size in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
- Slowly add the ragi flour paste with constant stirring. Stir till there are no lumps and bubbles appearing in the malt. Mix in cardamom powder for additional aroma.
- You can also add few pieces of Healthy Fibres Almonds to make it more nutritious.
- Continue to cook on low heat for a thicker consistency or add more water for a thinner consistency.
- Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature before feeding your baby.
- You can also add few pieces of Healthy Fibres Almonds to make it more nutritious.
