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how to prepare ragi koozh(fingermillet/kezhvaragu/nachani)

Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Ragi/nachini/ flour - 1 cup
  • Samai rice - 7-8 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Buttermilk as needed
  • Small onions finely chopped - 1/4 cup
  • Green chillies finely chopped - 1-2
  • Water - have used total 4 cups and extra 1 1/2 cup for boiling samai rice
  • all measurements are roughly calculated it may vary during cooking process

Instructions
 

  • Soak ragi flour in 2 cups of water overnight or 6-8 hours(mix and keep).
  • First boil samai rice in 11/2 cups(roughly)of water till its nicely cooked.
  • More water will be there with cooked rice its okay.
  • Mix overnight soaked ragi flour with the samai rice mixture and keep ready.
  • Now in a take thick bottomed vessel add 2 cups of water,bring to boil.
  • When it boils bring down the flame add the mixture slowly without formation of lumps you should stir continuously and add necessary salt.
  • Now after sometime you can bring back the flame to high mode and keep on stirring till it forms a thick shiny mixture.
  • It may take at-least 15-20 minutes to be nicely cooked.
  • You can switch off the flame.
  • Now transfer to a large broad vessel to cool.
  • When you touch with your wet hands it will not stick,this way we can recheck that the mixture is cooked.
  • After it cool take some two scoops of ragi koozh add needed buttermilk,some-onions and chillies mix and enjoy(always check for salt and if needed add).
  • It can be diluted to whatever consistency you want may be thick or thin I love to have it thin.

Notes

You have to be definitely be near the stove always stirring the mixture otherwise it easily forms lumps.
I have used samai rice for this usually rice noi/broken or even boiled rice is used.
Buttermilk that is to be mixed can be watery no worry it will be more tasty.
Soaking ragi is the usual method done here and it tastes very good.
I have added small onions and chilli for spiciness and crunch.
If you want to avoid chillies can leave and it can be accompanied with spicy pickle or even spicy curry/kulambu.
Use heavy bottomed vessel and cool the mixture before mixing with buttermilk.
You can refrigerate this ragi koozh without butter milk for more than a week and u can take out when needed mix with buttermilk and use.