Ragi Koozh OR Fermented Finger Millet Drink
Ragi Koozh is an excellent breakfast dish for hot summer months. You want to ideally start your preparation 24 hours prior to get the right process and taste. The same recipe can be made usig other millets such Bajra or Jowar but Ragi is nutritionally superior.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Ragi Flour using Sprouted Ragi Flour is even better
- 5 Cup Water
- 2 tbsp Cooked Rice
- ¾ Cup Homemade Curd
- Salt
- ½ Onion finely chopped
- Green chilli optional
Instructions
- Mix the Ragi flour in 3 cups of water. Cover and let it fermented for 7-8 hours,
- In a pot, boil about 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Once it starts boiling, pour in the fermented Ragi mix into the water. Add the rice as well. Keep stirring the mix until it becomes thick and gelatinous.
- Check the texture by dipping a wet spoon into the porridge. If it comes our clean, your mixture is ready.
- Now let this mixture cool. Once cool, make small balls and soak them in drinking water. Make sure they are completely soaked.
- Let these ferment overnight.
- In the morning, mash 1 ball and whisk with curd, water, salt, onion, chillies. Ragi Koozhu is ready. Serve it in a glass and garnish with chopped onion.
Notes
Variations
Non-Dairy Version
Skip the curd. Make the drink with water, lime juice, salt, roasted cumin powder, onion and coriander leaves.
Sweet Version
Skip the second fermentation. As soon as the mixture comes to room temperature, whisk with milk or coconut milk, jaggery and cardamom powder. You can make this thick, like a pudding, or thin like a drink. Serve it hot or cold, as per your preference.
On-The-Go Version
Once the balls (kali) have fermented for a couple of hours, you can mash them and eat with dal, sambar, and cooked vegetables in place of rice. This can be carried in your lunch box too, as long as you manage to keep it soaked in water.