Ragi is truly one of our traditional superfoods, being a rich source of calcium , iron , protein, fiber and other minerals. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to include it in my daily diet. My son had enjoyed ragi porridge as his favorite baby food but now that he's 8 years old, I use finger millet flakes in his upma or pair it with dates to make delicious grab and go energy balls. Today I made a quick dessert using Finger Millet Flakes and it turned out to be delicious! The cardamom adds a lovely flavor and the nuts give a nice crunch to the kheer besides making it healthier - an all in one dessert!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Finger Millet Flakes
- 1 1/2 cups boiled milk
- 1/4 cup Sugar or as required
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 2 tbsp of chopped nuts ( i have used Cashews and Almonds)
- 1 tbsp Raisins
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Method:
1. In a non stick wok , heat 1 tbsp ghee. Shallow fry the chopped nuts until golden brown and keep aside.
2. In the same ghee, roast the Finger Millet flakes on a medium flame for 1 minute or so.
3. Add 1 1/2 cup boiled milk to the roasted flakes and cook for 3-4 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep stirring in between to ensure the pudding does not stick to the bottom. By this time the flakes will be cooked thoroughly .
4. Add sugar followed by the raisins and fried nuts at this stage. Give a quick stir and cook until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the flame.
5. Flavor the pudding with cardamom powder and stir well.
If you like, you can chill the pudding before serving, or as a warm kheer. You can also top with a few chocolate shavings to make it more attractive for kids. They'll only see it as dessert - they won't realize how much calcium and other nutrients they're getting in the process!