Raagi koozh/Fermented Finger millet Porridge

One more recipe to beat the temperature. Very authentic dish but simplified. I have seen my granny cooking “kazhi” for my grandpa, two varieties one in wheat flour and other is raagi.  She cooks rice from scratch in a earthen pot and then adds diluted raagi flour to the rice. Then she cooks till the raagi flour is thick and done. She uses a mathu(masher) to mash the ragi and rice to form a paste. When it is hot itself she makes balls out of it by dipping hands in cold water to bear the heat. Traditionally during summer seaon festivals, especially for female dietys in south india tamilnadu they offer “kammang koozh /raagi koozh”to goddess. Farmers breakfast, sugar patients staple and summers foe… 😄 raagi koozh.

Finger millet health benefits:

Increases bone strength as it is rich in calcium. Controls diabetes and cholesterol. Treats anemia and obesity.

Raagi koozh/Fermented Finger millet Porridge

Cuisine: Indian/South

Category: Porridge/Beverage/breakfast

Yields: 3

Prep time: 8 hrs

Cook time: 10-15 Mins

Ingredients needed:

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup raagi flour

 12-15 pearl onion

1 cup thick curd

Salt and Green Chili as needed

To make the raagi kozh:

1. Mash the cooked rice to a coarse paste and add a cup of water to it and keep aside. Dilute raagi flour with 3 cups of water. The batter should be thin so adjust water level accordingly.

2. Switch on flame and introduce the rice mixture to heat and bring it to boil.

3. Now add the diluted raagi flour by continuously stirring the solution. Put the heat to medium.

4. Keep stirring and binding till the batter thickens. It might take 10-15 mins.

5.Once it starts to thicken put heat to low and cook for just another 2 minutes be mindful not to let it get burnt.Switch off and let it rest for five minutes.

6. Keep a bowl of cool water by side and start to make balls out of the thick batter. Though the batter rested for some time it will be still hot as it is dense. So to cheat the heat, dip your hands in the cold water and then make balls.I made 6 balls out of it.

7. To the curd add 2 cups of water and needed salt. Churn the curd for 10 minutes. You might see bubbles or butter floating over, remove it as much as possible.

8. Add the raagi balls to the buttermilk and leave it overnight to soak well.

9.Next day, take a ball in a bowl and mash it, add some buttermilk & salt to it, should be in a porridge/koozh consistency.

10.Serve with chopped raw pearl onion and green chilies by side or topped. 

 Note:

Adding cooked rice allows some air inside the batter and helps it stop forming lumps during cooking.If you don’t want then just neglect.

Use a heavy bottomed vessel to cook koozh as it easily gets burnt.

I you can’t keep it overnight then at least soak the balls for 4-5 hrs before serving.

Adding tempered onions , chilies,hing and curry leaves gives more flavor.
The dish can be stored for two days outside or inside fridge. Take out the soaked raagi balls once when you are about to serve.

Can be taken as a breakfast for diabetes persons but just skip the rice.

Winter Melon Panakam

 

Summer special….  quik and easy Ash gourd/winter melon panakam. Panakam is a natural coolant prepared during rama navami. But traditionally in southern part they use only karupatti(palm jaggery), tamarind and water to make panakam. We can use coconut water or plain water to make it. But to make the recipe even more cool and healthy I used pumpkin here, because its tooooooooooooo hot out here 😱. Please stay hydrated!

Benefits of ash gourd/winter melon/vellai poosani:

Aids in weight loss. Keeps stomach free of ulcer and provides natural glow to skin and hair. 

Winter Melon Panakam

Cuisine: Indian 

Category: Beverage/Juice/Drink

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 mins

Ingredients needed:

4 cups of ash guard ( I used the left over part of the ash gourd with seeds and flesh we don’t use for cooking)

½ of a medium sized cucumber(optional)

2 tbsp Jaggery/honey(I used jaggery)

1 tbsp ginger/1 “ginger piece(if you want more spicy then adjust but more of it might give out bitterness)

1 tsp cardamom powder

Fistful of fresh mint leaves

1 ½ - 2 cups water or ice cubes

To make the juice:

1.Put all the ingredients in the juicer/mixer and grind.

2. Filter the juice.

Serve immediately.

Note:

I prepared this juice with the seeds of ash gourd due to its benefits but you can omit and just use the plain flesh.

The juice forms residue by time but its completely okay.

Just have it fresh to relish the full taste.

Adding lemon juice should enhance the flavor.

Masala oats

Oats for me was a bland porridge for persons who are sick 😖. After trying the Saffola brand masala oats I felt happy that oats can taste Indian😜 Actually it tasted like sambar rice. There are several types of oats say instant rolled gluten free and as whole. Choose according to your priority but cooking time might be different. Instant oats as the name suggests it can be done in no more than 5 mins whereas rolled oats takes extra time and whole oats is similar to wheat cooking.

Oats health benefits:

Removes bad cholesterol.Protects against heart disease and cancer. Stabilizes blood sugar. 

 Masala Oats

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Porridge/Beverage/breakfast/Dinner

Yields: 3

Prep time: 20 Mins

Cook time: 10 Mins

Ingredients needed:

1 cup of instant oats(I used quaker)

1 large onion chopped

3 garlic pods minced

1 cup of boiled vegetables(carrot,beans,peas)

1 ½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp jeera/cumin powder

½ turmeric powder

2 tbsp Sour cream/yogurt

1 tbsp coriander leaves

½ tbsp olive oil(any desired oil can be used)

Salt as needed

To make masala oats:

1.Heat a saucepan and oil onion and garlic. Saute till onions are transparent.

2.Add coriander leaves, garam masala, turmeric, salt, jeera powder and saute for just few seconds.

3.Now add boiled vegetables and water.(1 cup oats:2 ½ cups water(might differ depending on the type of oats)).

4. Roast oats for 2 minutes.( This step can be avoided doing separately by roasting oats after the onion and garlic is sauteed.)

5. Add roasted oats to the water in the saucepan and bring it to boil by occasionally stirring.It just takes 5-7 minutes after you put oats in water. 

If you leave it without stirring, the bottom part of porridge might get burnt.When you see the bubbles all over and not only on the sides, its done.Switch off.

Serve hot topped with sour cream/yogurt/croutons.

 Note:

If you leave the porridge without stirring, the bottom part of porridge might get burnt.

Step 4 can be avoided doing separately by roasting oats after the onion and garlic is sauteed.

Watermeasurement might differ depending on the type of oats.

If you use rolled oats give it a pulse in the food processor/mixer so that it gets cooked faster.Still it might need extra water than the instant oats.

Rose Milk

Thinking of rose milk then it’s summer. There comes always a smile on my face if I think about rose milk. My mum loves rose milk and always finds reasons to have this drink There’s a mindset for her that drinking rose milk calms down stomach ache. Many of my friends told that their children hate milk but whenever I bring this for potlucks as soon as the bottle is opened children gulp it up in a flash of time. Whether good for stomach or not but for sure quenches our taste buds. 

Rose Milk Cuisine: Indian (South Indian/Tamil) Category: Cold Beverage Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 mins Ingredients: 250ml boiled and refrigerated milk 1/2 tsp rose essence Few drops of cherry red food colour 1tbsp+ ½ tsp Sugar Method: 1.If you don’t use pasteurised milk then boil and refrigerate milk before preparing this recipe. Otherwise, the milk can be used as it is out from the fridge. 2.Add rose essence, sugar and food colour to the milk. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved.Check for sweetness and colour adjust accordingly.      Serve it chilledJ

Note:

I don’t mix water or ice to the milk as the taste and texture will be different. If you want you can make ice cubes from the same rose milk and add it to the drink later.This way we can avoid the drink getting diluted. I personally don't like artificial food colours that is why I used less colour but if you want your rose milk to be colourful add few more drops of food colour.