Nachani Bhakri
Nachani/Nagali/ Ragi is known as finger millet in
English and is a widely grown cereal in Asia and Africa. It is highly nutritious
and excellent source of calcium and phosphorus. It has many other necessary
minerals and phytochemicals too. Nachani is used in different forms like whole
grain, flour, puffs etc. It can be made into bhakri(type of Indian bread), roti, mudde, kheer,
laddoos, papads, dosas, kadhi etc. Children are given porridge of ragi flour for good
growth of bones.
As the entire world is looking for gluten free diet to
combat many illnesses, millets are in fashion because they are gluten free and
excellent source of iron, calcium, phosphorus and other useful minerals and nutrients.
Nachani has become a superfood lately with diabetics including it in their
diets as diabetic food to keep sugar levels under control.
Nachani/Ragi/Nagali acts as a body coolant and it is best to consume it during summer season.
Nachani Bhakri is a bread made of flour and can be
made in two ways, either it can be patted in a plate or made by patting in hands
or it can be rolled out. Rolling gets slightly difficult and one can make it
easier by adding little wheat flour to it. I am showing both methods in the
pictures below. I have not used any wheat flour.
Ingredients for Nachani bhakri are nachani flour and
water. Knead into a smooth dough. Take a small portion, about a small fistful sized portion and make it into a ball. Line the plate with flour and start patting the portion with hand.
Once it is flattened reasonably well, pick and place on the heated tawa, the
flour side facing upwards. Apply little water to this surface and turn once the
water dries up slightly. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then roast on the open flame.
In earlier days, this process was done on open wood fire on a mud stove and the
taste used to be awesome.
Nachani Bhakri will taste good with almost any
vegetable. It tastes good with non-vegetarian dishes as well. Some eat it with
plain ghee too. If you are storing the cooked Nachani Bhakri, then while
serving you will need to reheat or steam it.
