The Ragi Cookbook

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 120ml240ml360ml Water
• Pinch Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp Chopped onion, green chilli, coriander (optional)
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Oil or ghee, for cooking

1. Tip the premix into a bowl, pour in the water and mix until completely smooth. Add salt.
2. Rest the batter 5 minutes so the flour hydrates fully.
3. Check the consistency — add 1–2 tbsp more water until it pours like dosa batter.
4. Fold in the chopped onion, chilli and coriander if using.
5. Heat a non-stick tawa on medium and grease it lightly.
6. Pour a ladleful and spread thin in a circular motion, like a dosa.
7. Cook 2 minutes until the edges lift and the base is golden. Flip and give it 1 minute more.
8. Serve hot with green chutney, pickle or curd.

Pro tip. A well-rested batter spreads thinner. If the first chilla tears, give the bowl another two minutes.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 100ml200ml300ml Water
• 50ml100ml150ml Yogurt (curd)
• Pinch Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp1 tsp1½ tsp Eno fruit salt, or a pinch of baking soda

1. Mix the premix with the water and curd into a smooth, thick batter.
2. Add salt and rest 5 minutes.
3. Just before steaming, add the Eno and fold gently — do not over-mix.
4. Grease the idli moulds and fill each about three-quarters full.
5. Steam 12–15 minutes on medium heat, without the whistle.
6. Cool 2 minutes, scoop out with a wet spoon, and serve with sambar and coconut chutney.

Pro tip. Use slightly warm water and add the Eno at the last moment. The batter should sit a little thicker than dosa batter.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 100ml200ml300ml Water
• Pinch Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp4 tbsp6 tbsp Chopped onion, tomato, capsicum, coriander
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Oil or ghee, for cooking

1. Mix the premix with water into a smooth batter — thicker than chilla batter, so it drops off the spoon rather than pours.
2. Add salt and rest 5 minutes.
3. Heat a non-stick tawa on medium and grease lightly.
4. Pour a ladleful and spread only a little. Keep it thick, roughly 1 cm.
5. Scatter the chopped vegetables on top and press them in gently with the back of the ladle.
6. Cover and cook 3 minutes on medium-low, until the top sets and the base is golden.
7. Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until the vegetables char lightly.
8. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

Pro tip. Keep the flame medium-low and cover the pan. An uttapam is much thicker than a chilla, so it has to cook through before the base browns.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 110ml220ml330ml Water or milk
• Pinch Salt
• 1–2 tsp2–4 tsp1–2 tbsp Jaggery powder or honey (optional)
• ¼ tsp½ tsp¾ tsp Cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp Ghee or butter, for cooking

1. Whisk the premix with the water or milk until completely smooth.
2. Add salt, plus jaggery and cinnamon if you want them lightly sweet.
3. Rest 5 minutes — the batter thickens a little as the flour hydrates.
4. Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low and grease with ghee.
5. Pour small rounds about 10 cm across. Do not spread them — pancakes stay thick.
6. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes until the surface looks set and the edges are dry.
7. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until golden.
8. Stack and serve with banana, honey or nut butter.

Pro tip. Milk makes them softer than water does. Keep the flame low — ragi browns faster than wheat, so a hot pan colours them before they cook through.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 110ml220ml330ml Milk or water
• 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp Melted butter or neutral oil
• Pinch Salt
• 1–2 tsp2–4 tsp1–2 tbsp Jaggery powder (optional)
• ½ tsp1 tsp1½ tsp Eno fruit salt, for lift

1. Whisk the premix with the milk until completely smooth.
2. Stir in the melted butter, salt and jaggery if using.
3. Rest 5 minutes. The batter should pour thickly, like pancake batter.
4. Heat the waffle iron and grease both plates properly — ragi has no gluten, so it sticks more readily than wheat.
5. Fold in the Eno just before cooking and use the batter straight away.
6. Pour enough to cover the plate, close, and cook 4–5 minutes until the steam slows.
7. Lift out carefully with a fork or spatula. They crisp further as they cool for a minute.
8. Serve with honey, fruit or a spoon of thick curd.

Pro tip. Check the first one at four minutes. Ragi browns faster than wheat, so the usual waffle timing will overshoot.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 120ml240ml360ml Water
• 50ml100ml150ml Yogurt (curd)
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Lemon juice
• Pinch Salt, sugar and turmeric
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Eno fruit salt

• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 8–10 Curry leaves
• 2 Green chillies, slit
• 2 tbsp Water, plus a pinch of sugar

1. Whisk the premix with water, curd, lemon juice, salt, sugar and turmeric into a smooth batter.
2. Grease a steaming plate and bring the steamer water to a boil.
3. Add the Eno, stir gently until frothy, and pour onto the plate straight away.
4. Steam 12–15 minutes on medium-high. A toothpick should come out clean.
5. For the tadka, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add curry leaves and chillies, then the water and sugar.
6. Pour the tempering over, cut into squares and serve with green chutney.

Pro tip. Keep the lid shut for the first 12 minutes or the dhokla will collapse.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 100ml200ml300ml Water
• 50ml100ml150ml Yogurt (curd)
• Pinch Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp1 tsp1½ tsp Eno fruit salt
• 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp Chopped onion and curry leaves (optional)
• 1 tsp Oil, for the pan

1. Mix the premix with water and curd into a smooth, thick batter. Add salt.
2. Rest 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the chopped onion and curry leaves, if using.
4. Just before cooking, add the Eno and fold gently — do not knock the air out.
5. Heat an appe pan on medium and put a few drops of oil in each mould.
6. Fill each mould about three-quarters full. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes until the tops set.
7. Turn each one with a spoon or skewer and cook 2 minutes more until golden all over.
8. Serve hot with coconut or tomato chutney.

Pro tip. Leftover idli batter plus fresh Eno becomes appe. Nothing goes to waste.

• 3–47–810–12 Ragi idlis from No. 02, cooled
• 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp Oil or ghee
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Mustard seeds
• 8–1012–1516–20 Curry leaves
• 1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp Idli podi, or red chilli powder
• Pinch Salt, to taste

1. Make the idlis as in No. 02 and let them cool completely. Day-old, straight from the fridge, is ideal.
2. Cut each idli into halves or quarters.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
4. Add the curry leaves and stand back — they will spit.
5. Tip in the idli pieces and toss until every side is coated in the oil.
6. Sprinkle over the podi and salt, then toss again.
7. Cook on medium 3–4 minutes, turning now and then, until the edges catch and crisp.
8. Serve hot, with coconut chutney or on their own.

Pro tip. Warm idlis crumble in the pan. If you have just steamed them, spread them out and give them twenty minutes to firm up first.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 90ml180ml270ml Water (a little more if too stiff)
• Pinch Salt
• 1 tsp Oil, for the tawa

• 2–3 tbsp Pizza or tomato sauce
• As needed Grated cheese
• As needed Onion, capsicum, sweetcorn, olives
• Pinch Oregano and chilli flakes

1. Mix the premix with the water into a thick, spreadable batter — noticeably stiffer than chilla batter. Add salt.
2. Rest 5 minutes, then loosen with a splash more water only if it will not spread.
3. Heat a non-stick tawa on medium and grease lightly.
4. Spoon the batter on and spread to about 5 mm — thicker than a chilla, so it can carry toppings.
5. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes, until the top is set and no longer wet.
6. Flip and cook 2 minutes on the other side. The base is now ready.
7. Spread the sauce, add cheese and vegetables, then the oregano and chilli flakes.
8. Cover and cook on low 4–5 minutes until the cheese melts. Slide out and slice.

Pro tip. Keep the base thicker than feels right — a thin one steams under the toppings instead of crisping. An oven at 200°C for 6–8 minutes works instead of covering the pan.

• 100g200g300g KIRO Ragi Premix
• 110ml220ml330ml Water
• Pinch Salt
• ¼ tsp½ tsp¾ tsp Cumin powder (optional)
• 1 tsp Oil, for the tawa
• To fill Rajma or paneer bhurji, salad, yogurt

1. Mix the premix with the water into a smooth batter. Add salt, and cumin if using.
2. Rest 5 minutes.
3. Heat a non-stick tawa on medium and grease lightly.
4. Pour small rounds, 10–12 cm across and a little thicker than a chilla.
5. Cook 2 minutes a side, until both sides are firm and the edges start to crisp.
6. While still warm and pliable, drape each round over a rolling pin to set the taco shape.
7. Leave 2–3 minutes to firm up. They crisp further as they cool.
8. Fill with rajma or paneer bhurji, salad and a spoon of yogurt.

Pro tip. Fold them while they are still warm. A shell that cools flat will crack instead of bending.