Ragi Mudde is an authentic and flavourful dish from the state of Karnataka. It is considered to be a staple for the farmers. Every household has a different way of preparing Ragi Mudde. Its preparation is an art one has to master, as you have to be extremely cautious with the proportions to make it drool-worthy. Generally, Ragi Mudde is paired with a sambar or any Indian curry that is made with leafy vegetables like spinach. The curry is made spicy to increase the taste of the dish. You can always adjust it to your liking. The health benefits of this recipe are many. It is diabetic-friendly, gluten-free and is known to aid in the weight loss journey. Ragi is loaded with calcium and vitamin D, which helps in making the bones stronger. Ragi is one of the most preferred ingredients on hot summer days to keep the body cool. It is also known to decrease the bad cholesterol level and is a source of iron. Ragi prevents constipation, thus aiding in the digestion process.
To make ragi flour, it is first washed, sun-dried and then ground into fine powder. Now, let’s take a look at the recipe of Ragi Mudde.
Ingredients for Ragi Mudde:
3 cups of water
2 tbsp Semolina/Rava
1 cup Ragi Flour
2 tbsp Ragi Flour
Salt
1 tbsp clarified butter
Ingredients for Spinach Sambar:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Chana Dal
3 Red Chilies
8 nos. Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
½ cup Toor Dal
1 bunch of Spinach – cleaned, washed and chopped
1 Onion medium-sized
2 Tomatoes medium-sized
1½ cup Water
¾ cup Fresh grated coconut
1 tsp Jaggery powder
1 tbsp Onion chopped
½ tbsp Fresh Tamarind (if using tamarind powder, then add ½ tsp)
Process:
Whisk the ragi and water together properly to avoid lumps and keep it aside.
Take a pan and add water, salt and ghee to it and let it boil. Then add semolina to it.
Add the ragi mixture to the boiling water and mix well for 5-10 minutes. Add some more ragi flour to the water and spread it evenly. Close the lid and let it come to a boil.
Next, turn off the heat and use a whisk to mix it properly for 5 minutes.
Next, grease a steel plate and try to shape the mixture into small balls of dough.
Take a steel plate/parchment paper and spread some ghee on it.
Take a portion of the ragi dough and place it on the greased plate. Wet your hands with water and try to shape the dough into balls.
Now prepare the Sambar. Begin by cleaning and chopping spinach, onions and tomatoes.
In a pressure cooker, add toor dal, spinach, onion and tomatoes and then add 1 ½ cups water and give it a good mix. After 4 whistles, remove the lid and mash them.
In a pan, dry roast all the spices and let it cool down. Then add it to a mixer and add grated coconut, tamarind, jaggery, turmeric, salt and onion and make a fine paste.
Add this to the cooker, mix it well and let it boil. Adjust the consistency and voila! The Spinach Sambar is ready to be served with Ragi Mudde.
