Millet as a part of daily alkaline diet.(Ragi Dosa)

An alkaline diet if often prescribed by most nutritionists as an alkaline environment keeps the body free from diseases. It helps to manage weight, keep ulcers at bay, prevents cancer and restores vitality in a person.

Human blood is slightly alkaline (pH 7.35-7.5). If the body pH turns acidic it absorbs vital minerals such as calcium, magnesium to turn it alkaline. It is the body’s natural tendency to bring the environment to alkaline. In this process we lose many minerals that are precious to us.

Among many alkaline foods millets are said to be alkaline and Ragi, Nachni or finger millet as it is called is not so commonly used grain in many households.

Ragi contains 12-13 % moisture, negligible fat and about 10% protein with the essential amino acid methionine and lecithin. It is also loaded with they are high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, minerals like iron, calcium and vitamin E. It is an excellent food for toddlers, adolescent girls’, expectant mothers and aged people. Additionally, the low glycemic index of nachani makes it ideal for diabetes as it blunts the rise in blood sugar once absorbed.

I have presented a dosa or pancake made of Ragi and brown rice which is nutritious and tasty too.

The batter when it is ready for preparing dosas.

The dosa cooking on the flat griddle

The Ragi Dosa served with peanut chutney

Whole Ragi/ Nachani -1 cup

Yellow Moong lentils -1/2 cup

Brown rice/ unpolished rice-2cups

Beaten rice -1cup

Fenugreek /methi seeds-1/2 tsp

oil- for cooking

Salt –to taste

Soak Ragi, yellow lentils, brown rice, fenugreek seeds together in water for 4-5 hours. Wash and drain.

Grind them in a mixie/blender, add a little water, till the batter is smooth and of pouring consistency. Wash the beaten rice and grind it along with the above batter. Add salt and leave it to ferment for 6 hours or overnight.

Lightly grease a flat griddle and pour a ladle of the mixture and spread into a dosa. Spread some oil at the sides and cook till both sides are done.

Serve with a chutney of your choice. Usually, garlic coconut chutney or peanut chutney go well with these dosas.

The moong dal makes the dosas soft after cooking them. In course of time , I found these dosas very light and fluffy and a healthier version to the usual black gram dal(urad dal ) dosas that we usually make. These are easier to digest and provide good amount of nutrients that Ragi provides as mentioned above.