Ragi Manni is part of the meal I love putting together for Sarva Pitru Amavasya, or Mahalaya Amavasya. It is a time for reflection and nostalgia. I think of each loved one and have a conversation with them in my mind, as though they are really around. I also think of friends who have lost their dearest canine and feline babies.
Back home, the lunch is served on a leaf and offered to the crows. We eat only after a crow has taken at least a bite of the offering. As I could not do that here in Canada, I followed the other rituals around it.
Ragi Manni has always reminded me of my paternal grandma, although Amma and Mom made it as well. I do not remember her entering the kitchen often. Mom did most of the cooking when she was around. But for this Manni, she took some time off and prepared it beautifully. I cannot make it as perfectly as she did, but the taste is almost the same.
A little tip from my kitchen: use a whisk if the mixture starts turning lumpy at the bottom. It is also a sign that it needs more vigorous stirring. The key to smooth Ragi Manni is to keep stirring.
I hope you give this recipe a go.
Ragi Manni
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole ragi (finger millet)
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 3/4 cup jaggery
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon ghee plus more for greasing
- water as needed for soaking and grinding
- cashews for topping
Instructions
Method
- Soak the whole ragi overnight. Drain before grinding.
- Grind the soaked ragi with the grated coconut, liquified jaggery, salt and cardamom, adding water as needed to grind.
- Strain twice, squeezing out as much milk as possible from the ragi and coconut mixture.
- Pour the strained liquid into a pan. Cook while stirring vigorously at first, then continue stirring and scraping the bottom throughout so the mixture stays smooth.
- Once the mixture reaches a halwa-like consistency, stir in the ghee. Add a little more ground cardamom at this stage if you wish.
- Spread onto a greased plate or into greased individual moulds. Top with cashews. Allow to set before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Keep stirring continuously for smooth Manni. If lumps start forming at the bottom, use a whisk and stir more vigorously.
- The jaggery can be added later instead of during grinding.