Raagi Haalu bai./Finger Millet

Raagi/Finger Millet is one of the healthy grain that one should have in his/her diet. Many many dishes can be prepared using Raagi/Ragi/Finger Millet.

We can do rotti, dosa, pakodas/pakoras and sweet dishes like laddu and halubai, Huri hittu (Rosated flour), etc.
Halubai is something like pudding, which is ground or used ragi flour and then ground with fresh coconut and stir with all the ingredients. The ingredients are really very easy and we normally have it in our kitchen shelf.
Let us see the recipe Now.

Things Needed :

Raag  ( Finger Millet ) Powder : 2 Cups.
Water : 4 Cups
Coconut : 1 cup. ( Grated ).
Jaggery : 3/4 of the Cup.
Ghee : 2 ro 3 Table spoons.
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods.
Salt : a pinch.

Method :

1. Melt jaggery if it is hard. Just keep it in a big pan and put some water. It start melting slowly.

2. Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery and the water which is used for melting.
3. Strain the jaggery once the jaggery is completely dissolved. and keep jaggery water aside.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with cardamom pods. Use required water.

5. Keep a big pan on the fire and put cleaned jaggery water. Add ragi flour.

6. Add ground coconut and mix it well. Stir it on a low flame.

7. Add a tablespoon of ghee and stir till it starts to leave the edges.

8. Continue stirring for another 6 to 8 minutes. It starts to form a shape in the middle.

9. Add the remaining ghee and mix it well.
10. Greece ghee on a big plate or tray and pour the ready halubai mixture on the top of the plate.

11. Let it cool completely. Then you can cut it into desired shape and serve.
12. I packed some Ragi Halubai for my relatives.

Note : 

Must stir continuously on low and medium flame to get the good result. ( Other wise it may get burnt and becomes difficult to stir ).You can add more jaggery to get sweeter taste. You can add more ghee too. The correct amount of  required water should be used. 1 Cup Raagi/Finger millet = 3 1/2 to  4 cups of water can be used. Adding any fruit like apple, banana is optional. One should do it on low flame to get the tasty Halubai.
Time : 30 Minutes
25 to 30 Pieces can be prepared.

Ridge Gourd Chutney & Poooris.

Ridge Gourd/Heerekai is one of the healthy vegetable and it is loaded with minerals and vitamins.
Ridge gourd is used in many dishes. Ridge gourd chutney is one of the healthy dish that we can prepare using its outer layer/Peel.
Here I have tried Ridge gourd chutney and it is simple and yummy. This chutney can be eaten with chapatis, pooris, any type of rotis or even bread. It goes well with plain rice.

Let us see the recipe Now.
Ridge gourd chutney can be done in many types. You can roast dals and add cooked ridge gourd peels and grind it with coconut. The other way is also the same but no dals are used here and green chilly is used instead of red chilly.
Here I have used Green chilly and prepared this chutney.

Things Needed for Chutney :

To Cook :
Ridge gourd skin: 1 Cup .
Green chillies :  2 to 3
Tamarind : 1 Tablespoon.
Salt : to taste.
Ingh or Asafoetodia  : a pinch.
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tea spoon.
Turmeric powder : A pinch
To grind :
Coconut : 1 cup.
Cooked ridge gourd mixture.
To season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 4 to 5
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little

Method : 

1. Wash and remove the edges from the ridge gourd and wash again. Wash green chilly.
2.Now remove the peels of ridge gourd and cut it into small pieces.
3. Cook them with 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds, green chilly, salt, tamarind and turmeric powder.
4. Let it cook till soft. Remove it from the pan and let it cool.
5. Grate coconut and grind cooked ridge gourd mixture with little more salt.
6. Remove it from the mixi jar and put it in a serving dish.
7. Season with coconut oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
8. Serve with your choice of main dish or one of the side dish.

 Note : 

Use of any cooking oil is optional. Use of more spice is optional. Cook the peel till they are soft.  Fresh coconut should be used to get good and healthy chutney.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 

You can prepare Pooris from Ridge gourd chutney..Here is a recipe of  Yummy Pooris.

Pooris from Ridge gourd Chutney.
Ridge gourd Chutney: : 1/2 cup.
Wheat flour : 2 cups.
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon.
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 1 cup . ( To fry).

Method :
1. Put Ridge gourd chutney, jeera, salt, wheat flour and mix it well.
2. Add required water and prepare dough.
3. Keep a pan and add oil. Let it get hot.
4. Now divide the poori dough into small portion and turn then as round ball.
5. Just apply a drop of oil and roll it as round.
6. Fry these pooris in hot oil on both sides.
7. Remove it from the oil and put it on a kitchen tissue.
8. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
9. Serve hot pooris with a cup of curd or your choice of side dish.

Note :
Do not add much water to the dough while preparing the dough.
Do not add any ghee or oil since coconut has the oil substance .
Fry the pooris on medium heat to get the good result.
Do not use any stale chutney since it gives a foul smell and it is not good for health.
You can use garam masal powder or red chilly powder to the mixture  while mixing the dough.  It gives a different taste and remember lots of spice is not good for health too.
2 to 3 serves.