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.


Whole Wheat 2 minute Microwave(MW) chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies is everyone's favorite. Usually it is prepared in many ways by baking them instantly or refrigerate the dough for 24-36 hrs and bake them. However the taste differs when it is rested in refrigerator for 24-36 hrs. Here is an simple attempt to make a 2 minute cookies in a microwave. This can be made by kids too and they will enjoy making them.

How to make it:

1. Add unsalted butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.

2. Mix well, add an egg, and mix again.

3. Add whole wheat flour, add tsp salt, and mix. 

4. Add chocolate chips, mix, and scoop onto butter-greased plate or parchment paper on a plate.

5.Decorate top with chocolate chips, and make sure to clump them together because the dough will expand.

6.  Microwave for 1:50 for little crunchy, microwave for 1:40 to 1:45 for little softer cookie. If toothpick comes clean when stuck in cookie or middle of cookie, let out even if time remains. ( See Notes).

7. Let cool for few minutes and enjoy!

For tastier results, refrigerate for 12-24 hrs and then follow Steps 5-7.

A small video representation is here:

Here comes the full recipe:

Ingredients: 
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 6 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 5 tbsp chocolate chips for batter, 1/2 tbsp for "decorating" the top of cookie

1. Add unsalted butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.

2. Mix well, add an egg, and mix again.

3. Add whole wheat flour, add tsp salt, and mix. 

4. Add chocolate chips, mix, and scoop onto butter-greased plate or parchment paper on a plate.

5.Decorate top with chocolate chips, and make sure to clump them together because the dough will expand.

6.  Microwave for 1:50 for little crunchy, microwave for 1:40 to 1:45 for little softer cookie. If toothpick comes clean when stuck in cookie or middle of cookie, let out even if time remains.

7. Let cool for few minutes and enjoy!

You can also prepare the dough and refrigerate for 12-24 hrs and then follow Steps 5-7 to enjoy even more tastier cookie.

Note:
!. Each microwave have a different power. So test one cookie first and then adjust timing according to your microwave.