In the recent years, millets have become an everyday staple in almost every household in India. I am glad that the trend has reached the US now. Indian groceries have started to stock up on various millet varieties. So, I have started to incorporate more of these healthy whole grains into our diet as well. Which brings me to this week’s blogging marathon, BM# 113 and my theme is ‘millet recipes’. Finger Millet aka Ragi aka Nachni is one of the most nutritious whole grains out there. It is high in thiamine/ B1, calcium, carbohydrates and iron. NDTV has a great resource on the health benefits of ragi. It is available in whole grain and in flour form. Here in the US, I have seen the ground, flour form more than the actual millet. Ragi Flour is great to make dosa and paniyaram.
Difference between Adai & Dosa
Adai is usually made with more than 2 different types of lentils. Soaked and ground along with some raw rice into a thick batter. There is no need to ferment and can be made right away. Also adai batter is ground with dry red chilies and flavored with hing and curry leaves. They are made a little thick - more like a pancake than like a crepe. On the other hand, dosa needs only lentils and rice. Soaked and ground into a batter which is then fermented until frothy. Needs at least 6~8 hours of fermenting time. Batter is thin and generally seasoned only with salt. Dosa are thin, lacey and crispy.
Ingredients
Adai is made with a combination of lentils and rice. In this finger millet version, the main ingredient is Ragi flour. The other ingredients needed for this recipe are: I used chana dal (skinned, split pea lentils) and moong dal (skinned, split mung beans). But feel free to substitute these or add along other lentils. A small amount of rice flour makes the dosa nice and crispy. Dry red chilies and cumin seeds add flavor to the batter. Optionally, you an add diced onions, green chilies, curry leaves and cilantro to the batter to make it spicy and delicious.
Instructions
To make ragi adai recipe, start by soaking the lentils for about 30~40 minutes. Skinned, split lentils, don’t need to be soaked for too long. So this is a quick soak to make them grind easily. Once the lentils are tender, grind them along with red chilies and cumin seeds into a smooth paste. To the lentil mixture, add ragi flour, salt and enough water to make a thick batter. It should be like pancake batter. If you want to make spicy adai, then add finely chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves and cilantro. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat a tawa or griddle on medium-high heat. Pour 1~2 ladle-full batter and spread it out evenly. Drizzle some oil around and cook covered for 2~3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 1~2 minutes. Serve hot with any chutney.
Tips & Substitutions
Masoor dal (red lentils), toor dal (pigeon peas), urad dal (split white lentils) can also be used in this recipe.Jowar (sorghum) flour or bajra flour can be used instead of ragi flour.Any leftover batter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Leftover adai can be stored for up to 1 day in the fridge. But the texture might be a little dry.
Serving Ideas:
Serve these with Saravana Bhavan Sambar, Vankaya Tomato Pachadi or peanut chutney.
Taste Test
Serve ragi adai with your favorite chutney. I served with mango pickle and chutney podi. This is a very filling and delicious meal for any time of the day. This is a great recipe to incorporate ragi flour into the diet. Since ragi has a very subtle, earthy taste and blends relly well with the lentils. Even my kids would loved them. Let’s check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today for BM# 113.
