02-27-2004, 09:11 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-Viren+Feb 20 2004, 09:48 PM-->QUOTE(Viren @ Feb 20 2004, 09:48 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> What exactly is Ragi and is it available in US?
Another question Kannadigas (if you are from Southern/Manglore) area. Heard of a dish called "<b>korri-rotti</b>"? It's pretty popular with Bunts/Shettys etc. Know of any place in US to buy "rotti". I do know know of one place online (TX based) for the "korri" masala powder. But haven't found anyplace to buy "rotti". <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Viren,
Ragi is a coarse grain/millet. It looks exactly like mustard seeds (dark red/brown).
Google search gave this
The Latin name of ragi is Elusine coracana; although it is believed to be native to African highlands of Ethiopia and Uganda, there is another view that ragi is quintessentially a crop indigenous to India. This may explain why it is alternatively called as Elusine indica in Latin. This so called coarse grain or poor man's millet is actually superior to rice or wheat in nutritional terms being rich in proteins and high levels fibre which makes it digestible slowly, thereby ensuring the release of carbohydrates in small quantities. This may explain why two ragi mudde eaten in the morning with a bit of chilli, onion or sambar may sustain the labouring farmer through the whole day. It is also said to be a cool food ( Ref. `Ragi is Back, but only as exotica' in the June 30th issue of Down to Earth (www.downtoearth.org.in) by E. Vijayalakshmi of Bangalore). This is because ragi is alkaline while most other foods are said to be acidic. What is more, like grain amaranth or rajgira or ramdana another very high-protein non-cereal crop, ragi is a hardy grain that can thrive on meagre resources. In fact, if you combine amaranth, million-dollar research on which is being sponsored by the Rodell Foundation in American, with ragi, you don't need meat or milk for your proteins! The story of amaranth, the lost crop of the Incas and Aztecs, and which surfaced in the Himalaya, is another beauty which deserves a separate site of its own. Alternatively, read about it (my reports, am an assistant editor at the group) in The Times of India/Science Today archives.
Posted by: Vithal C. Nadkarni on July 2, 2003 04:06 AM
I think you can find ragi flour in desi stores, though I have never tried to buy it in the US. I get my supply from home <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Sorry, don't know about "korri rotti". Maybe a description will help.
Another question Kannadigas (if you are from Southern/Manglore) area. Heard of a dish called "<b>korri-rotti</b>"? It's pretty popular with Bunts/Shettys etc. Know of any place in US to buy "rotti". I do know know of one place online (TX based) for the "korri" masala powder. But haven't found anyplace to buy "rotti". <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Viren,
Ragi is a coarse grain/millet. It looks exactly like mustard seeds (dark red/brown).
Google search gave this
The Latin name of ragi is Elusine coracana; although it is believed to be native to African highlands of Ethiopia and Uganda, there is another view that ragi is quintessentially a crop indigenous to India. This may explain why it is alternatively called as Elusine indica in Latin. This so called coarse grain or poor man's millet is actually superior to rice or wheat in nutritional terms being rich in proteins and high levels fibre which makes it digestible slowly, thereby ensuring the release of carbohydrates in small quantities. This may explain why two ragi mudde eaten in the morning with a bit of chilli, onion or sambar may sustain the labouring farmer through the whole day. It is also said to be a cool food ( Ref. `Ragi is Back, but only as exotica' in the June 30th issue of Down to Earth (www.downtoearth.org.in) by E. Vijayalakshmi of Bangalore). This is because ragi is alkaline while most other foods are said to be acidic. What is more, like grain amaranth or rajgira or ramdana another very high-protein non-cereal crop, ragi is a hardy grain that can thrive on meagre resources. In fact, if you combine amaranth, million-dollar research on which is being sponsored by the Rodell Foundation in American, with ragi, you don't need meat or milk for your proteins! The story of amaranth, the lost crop of the Incas and Aztecs, and which surfaced in the Himalaya, is another beauty which deserves a separate site of its own. Alternatively, read about it (my reports, am an assistant editor at the group) in The Times of India/Science Today archives.
Posted by: Vithal C. Nadkarni on July 2, 2003 04:06 AM
I think you can find ragi flour in desi stores, though I have never tried to buy it in the US. I get my supply from home <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Sorry, don't know about "korri rotti". Maybe a description will help.