Layered with grated coconut and laced with fragrant elaichi, ragi puttu is a delicious breakfast dish relished in south India. Ragi, a rich source of nutrients, is not just healthy but versatile too. The finger millet tastes perfectly delicious in various recipes, but it tastes best when made into a puttu.
Health Benefits
Finger millets/ ragi is a rich source of calcium which helps to strengthen bones for growing children and aging people. It is a gluten-free food. It is also rich in fiber that helps weight loss and diabetes and is packed with good carbs, amino acids, and vitamin D.
Ingredients
cup ragi flour/ finger millet flour: 1
tbsp grated coconut: 2
tsp sugar/jaggery as required: 2 to 3
pinch cardamom(powdered)- optional: 1
pinch salt: 1
tsp ghee: 1
cup water/ as needed: 1/2
How To Make Ragi Puttu
- In a pan, dry roast ragi flour over medium flame, stirring continuously.
- Roast it till it gives a nice aroma and turns slightly brown.
- Transfer the roasted ragi flour into a bowl and let it cool.
- Add a pinch of salt, cardamom powder(optional).
- Sprinkle little water to the ragi flour and mix it well.
- The mixture should be slightly wet. Remove any lumps while mixing.
- Empty the mixture into a mixer grinder.
- Pulse it for 1 or 2 times.
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl from the mixer.
- Pre-heat the pressure cooker.
- Put the bowl of mixture into the cooker.
- Steam cook it for 8 – 10 minutes on a medium flame.
- Turn off the flame and wait until it cools down a little.
- Once you remove the bowl from the cooker, add grated coconut, ghee and sprinkle sugar/jaggery as per taste.
- Mix it well and serve.
Trivia:
Finger millets are originated in East Africa. The word ‘Millet from the French word ‘Mil’. The origin is Latin.
The coconut was called just ‘coco’ in English in the 16th century. Coco was a Spanish word for a mask used to scare children. The three holes and beard of the nut suggested a face.