Ragi Neer dosa/ Ragi paan polo/ Finger Millet Crepe

It is party time again at Fiesta Friday!This week I am bringing yet another healthy gluten-free crepe to the party.I hope Angie the host of Fiesta Friday and her wonderful co-hosts this week, Indu@ Indu's InternationalKitchen, Selma@ Selma's Table and Hilda@ Along The Grapevine, and all the other fellow party-goers like it!

Paan polo or Neer dosa/ Rice crepe is my go-to when I want to prepare dosas instantly and have not planned for it. This happens if I have not ground the dosa batter a day ahead and left it to ferment because I had a busy week or sometimes just plain forgot! The good thing about Paan polo/ Neer dosa is that the batter does not need fermentation! The rice could be soaked for as less as one hour in hot water. Or even better, just use rice flour! Something interesting happened recently.. I came across a recipe online that used Ragi flour( finger millet) for Paan pole. I was intrigued. I decided to try it and you know what?? It was delicious! The recipe is super easy and with Ragi( finger millet) being a healthier gluten-free grain, it is actually good for the body. I was thrilled!Of course, I tweaked the recipe to my liking. I use Ragi flour periodically with mediocre results but this was fantastic. I have made this several times now and have liked it each time! If you are looking for healthier ways to eat.. This is one of it!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Raagi ( finger millet) flour: 1 cup
Jeera ( cumin seeds): 1/4 tsp( optional)
Water: 3 cups+ 2 cups
Salt: as per taste
Oil: for greasing the skillet/griddle( I use coconut oil). You could use any cooking oil.

Method:

Mix Ragi/finger millet flour with 3 cups water. Keep aside for 15 mins.

After 15 mins, discard the top water and the dark  Raagi husk until you reach the lighter sediment.

Now add 2 more cups of water and salt and blend it for 30 seconds, using a hand blender or using a regular blender. Blending ensures that you get a nice homogenous batter. The batter should be thin and free-flowing.

Add the cumin seeds to the batter. You could skip the cumin seeds if you don't care for the taste of cumin.

Heat a griddle/ skillet on medium heat.Grease the skillet/ griddle liberally with coconut oil. 

When the griddle is hot, take a ladleful of batter and pour it from out to in. This batter cannot be spread. It needs to be poured. Instead of the ladle you could use a small cup or soup ladle to pour the batter.

The batter hisses and spreads like a lace on the griddle. It cooks very quickly. When cooked, fold it into a triangle.

Remove and keep it in a hot box ( something like a tortilla box).

Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

My kids like it with a dollop of butter and some honey or jaggery syrup:).

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

The trick to making good dosas and the dosas not sticking to your skillet/griddle is by ensuring that it is greased well. Also, for Neer dosa the temperature of the griddle has to be maintained hot throughout.You cannot lower the flame.

Try to use separate griddles/ tawa/skillet for dosa and chapatis. My experience has shown that roasting chapatis on the dosa tawa spoils the seasoning of the tawa and makes it more probable that when you try to make dosas, they stick to the skillet leaving a sticky mess.

Always, always be gentle while cleaning your skillet/ tawa. Do not use harsh scrubs or strong detergents. This again messes up the seasoning of the skillet/griddle/tawa.

Tip for healthy living:

Ragi/ finger millet is a healthy grain that is gluten free and is a great alternative to wheat. For time immemorial, finger millet has been a staple part of the diet of residents of Karnataka, a South Indian state. Karnataka happens to produce 58% of the Ragi grown in India.

Ragi is one of the few grains that does not need to be polished and therefore is minimally processed. Ragi is a great source of protein, calcium and iron, hence very important for vegetarians and vegans. It has the highest percentage of protein when compared to other grains. It naturally is low in fat and high in dietary fiber due to the presence of it's bran. It is great alternative for rice and wheat for diabetics as it has a low glycemic index an therefore maintains the sugar levels stable for a longer period of time. Bottom-line, it is a very good food item that is beneficial for almost everyone!

Food for thought:

A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations. William Feather