Kongu style ragi murukku with no rice flour-easy snack recipe/ Ragi chakli recipe

Ragi popularly known as Finger millet/Nachni in North India is very common in South India. It is grown in kongunadu region and it is their regular grain in their foods eaten in the form of kali, pakoda, roti. It is a super crop as well as super food which is rich in calcium. No essential nutrients are lost during processing in ragi. It's gluten free too. 

Step by step pictures to make murukku:

1. In a bowl, sieve ragi flour to remove any lumps. 

2. To it add besan and gram flour and sieve those as well to remove any lumps.

3. Now add butter, sesame seeds and omam(ajwain) to it.

4. Add red chilli powder and salt and rub it with hands so that they are combined well and looks coarse crumbs. 

5. Add water little by little and make a soft dough. Grease murukku mould, inner and outer sides and also the plate where you are going to press the murukku. Use any mould that you would like. I am using round shape here.

6. Grease murukku mould, inner and outer sides and also the plate where you are going to press the murukku. Use any mould that you would like. I am using round shape here. Take a small portion of dough and make a log. 

7. Put it inside the mould and close with the outer press. Gently make a smooth press on the greased plate.

8. Meanwhile heat oil in pan. Put the piped murukku into the hot oil and cook it till the stops the 'sh' sound. Remove using a skewer, drain oil and place it in plate. Cool and store it in an airtight container. 

Here comes the full recipe:

Ingredients:
Finger millet flour/ Ragi maavu - 2 cups
Pottukadalai flour/ gram flour - 1/4 cup
Besan flour/kadalai maavu - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Ajwain/Omam - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp

Peanut oil - for frying

How to make:
1. In a bowl, mix ragi flour, gram flour and besan.
2. Now add butter, sesame seeds and omam(ajwain) to it.
3. Add red chilli powder and salt and rub it with hands so that they are combined well and looks coarse crumbs.
4. Add water little by little and make a soft dough.
5. Grease murukku mould, inner and outer sides and also the plate where you are going to press the murukku. Use any mould that you would like. I am using round shape here.
6. Take a small log and put it inside the mould and close with the outer press.
7. Gently make a smooth press on the greased plate.
8. Meanwhile heat oil in pan.
9. Put the piped murukku into the hot oil and cook it till the stops the 'sh' sound.
10. Remove using a skewer, drain oil and place it in plate.
11. Cool and store it in an airtight container. Enjoy with a cup of coffee/tea.

Note:

1. Red chilli powder what I use is very spicy and I have used only 1 tsp. So adjust your spiciness according to your red chilli powder.

2. Prepare pottukadalai maavu by grinding gram dhal in mixie and sieve to get a fine powder.

3. Butter gives the crispiness for murukku and don’t omit it.

Paruppu Vada / Lentil Fritters

Paruppu vada/ Lentil fritters is commonly prepared vada in kongunadu region. Here vada paruppu will be seen in stores and this is used for vada preparation. You can else use gram dhal.

Here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:

Vada paruppu vada/ Gram dhal - 1 cup

Onion - 1 medium - chop very fine

Curry leaves - few - chop very fine

Coriander leaves - few - chop very fine

Oil


Grind to a fine paste:

Ginger - 2"

Cinnamon - 1"

Cloves - 2

Jeera - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 4

Salt

Method:

1. Wash, drain and soak vada paruppu/ gram dhal for 1 - 2 hrs.

2. Drain water fully and grind coarsely without adding any water.

3. Add the above paste to the grounded paste.

4. As well as add onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Check for salt and karam. If karam required, can add red chilli powder.

5. Make small balls and keep it aside.

6. Heat oil in a kadai. When hot, place the ball on the center of the hand and press it slightly with the other hand and drop it in oil.

7. Turn upside down in oil after it is cooked on one side and remove when golden brown.

Valaipoo Vada

In kongunadu, instead of gram dhal they will use vada paruppu that will be available here in this area. It will give a great taste than gram dhal.


Ingredients:

Valaipoo - 1

Gram dhal - 1 cup

Small onions - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves - few

Ginger - 1"

Red chillies - 2

Jeera - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil - to fry

Method:

1. Remove stem from valaipoo and cut it into small pieces.

2. Soak gram dhal for an hour and grind coarsely along with jeera, ginger, red chillies and salt.

3. Cut onions, green chillies, curry leaves nad corinader leaves into small ones and mix along with the ground paste.

4. Make balls. Mean while heat oil in a pan for deep frying.

5.Place the balls in the center of your hand and press it slightly and drop in hot oil.

6. Leave it to raise and don't disturb for 1 min.

7. Remove vada's when it turns golden brown and serve.

Microwave Croutons

Ingredients Required:

Bread Cubes - 2 cups

Butter - 3 tbsp

Garlic - 1 tsp chopped

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1.Melt butter in microwave. MW HI for 1 min.

2. Add chopped garlic and MW HI for 1 min.

3. Toss in rest of the ingredients. Cook on HI for 3 - 4 min.

4. Allow to stand till cool and crisp.