SRISTI

• Finger millet 
• African millet 
• Red millet 

• Nachani 
• Nachni 

Ragi is an annual plant widely grown as a cereal in the arid areas of Africa and Asia. In India, ragi is mostly grown and consumed in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa. 

As a crop and after harvesting, ragi keeps extremely well and is seldom attacked by pests. This eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides making it a safe food. 

It is also a cost-effective source of protein, iron, calcium and fibre, which makes in the preferred food of many communities. Notably, it is a rare source of the amino acid methionine. 

The whole grain of ragi may be ground into flour or decorticated before grinding to produce either a fine particle product or flour, which is then used in various traditional foods. The flour may be ground coarsely or finely, depending on individual preference and recipe requirement. 

• Ragi flour is made by grinding up the whole ragi grain (red millets) to get a fine powder. In today’s growing health conscious world, the usage of ragi flour is increasing exponentially. It can be used to make everything from snacks and rotis to sweets and breads. 

 

• Ragi flour is mostly used in the southern parts of India. They use it to make Ragi Puttu, which is breakfast dish and has a coconut flavour. 

 

• Porridge is perhaps the most common way of consuming ragi flour. A past of ragi flour in water is cooked till done, and then enhanced with buttermilk  and salt, or milk and sugar. 

 

• This flour can also replace other flours to make other southern dishes like multiflour Idli and Nachni dosa. 

 

• Ragi is considered a super grain because it is very nutritious and it is due to this it is used as a replacement to flour in baking. Crispy treats with hummus and multigrain bread are two of many things that can be baked using ragi flour. 

• It is also used to make an array of healthy snacks varying from Khakhras and Chaklis to upma and dosa. 

 

• Since Ragi is gluten free, it can be used in daily cooking for those who want to avoid gluten or are allergic to it. 

 

• One can even make nice rotis and parathas with ragi flour. These parathas can also be stuffed with vegetables and proteins like paneer. 

 

• Surprisingly, ragi flour is also used to make sweets. A classic sheera can be made much healthier if made with ragi flour. Other sweets that can be are Ragi sheera, nachni ladoo (for pregnant women) and Golpapdi. 

 

• In Maharashtra, bhakri, a type of flat bread is prepared using finger millet (ragi) flour 

 

• Flour from malted ragi grains can be mixed with milk or yoghurt and had with sugar or salt

** source : Tarladalal

Corn flour is a type of flour that’s milled from dried whole corn kernels. It contains the hull, germ, and endosperm of the corn and is considered a whole grain flour. Corn flour is usually yellow, but it can also be white or blue depending on the variety of corn it uses. The texture is fine and smooth, similar the whole wheat flour. 

Like all flours, corn flour gives structure to baked goods and other foods. It’s often combined with a binder like eggs to provide shape. Corn flour doesn’t taste very good raw, but cooking—whether it’s baking, frying, or grilling—unlocks its earthy, sweet flavor. Corn flour is extremely versatile, and you can incorporate it into recipes for breads, muffins, waffles, pancakes, battered and fried foods, blinis, and more.

• Cornmeal
• Cornstarch

• Masa harina 

Corn flour is a versatile ingredient that can enhance the texture and flavor of many foods. Use corn flour as a breading for fried fish or okra, incorporate it into a waffle or pancake batter for a satisfying breakfast,

or bake it into breads, muffins, or cakes. You can also combine corn flour with other flours like cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour.

** source : Allrecipes

Barley flour is a flour prepared from dried and ground barley. Barley flour is used to prepare barley bread and other breads, such as flat bread and yeast breads. There are two general types of barley flour: coarse and fine.

Barley groats are milled to make coarse barley flour, and pearl barley is milled to make fine barley flour. Additionally, patent barley flour is a finer barley flour that is ground to a greater degree compared to fine barley flour.

Barley flour is used to prepare breads such as barley bread. It is sometimes added to wheat flour, creating a composite flour, which is used to prepare various breads. Its addition to wheat flour creates a darker-colored baked end-product, and also alters the flavor of the product.

Barley flour is also used as an ingredient in some specialty foods. Barley breading is another food product prepared using barley flour, which can be prepared using pregelatinized barley flour and an additional product called barley crunch, similar to Grape-Nuts cereal.

** source : Wikipedia

• White millet flour 

• Sorghum flour 

Jowar flour is made by grinding the small round grains of jowar (white millet). When the jowar is ripe and ready to be harvested, the plants are cut and tied in bundles and allowed to dry. The bundles are threshed to separate the grains. The grains are cleaned, washed, dried and then processed into flour. 

When ground, the flour is creamish white in colour and has a fairly neutral flavour that is sometimes nutty or sweetish. It absorbs flavours well and can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be consumed plain, made into porridge, roti and other dishes, or used in combination with other flours. It is preferred by the gluten intolerant, and is often cooked as a porridge to be eaten alongside other foods. 

• Jowar flour can be used to make bhakri, theplas, and other Indian breads, where it can be used alone or mixed with wheat flour. 

• Stuff with innovative fillings to make jowar parathas 
• The flour is also used in preparations like dhokli, khakras, muthias, etc. 

** source : Tarladalal

This is made from finely milled small grains of the sorghum plant, which grows in hot climates. There are three main varieties. There is the bland, sweetish, white millet flour, which is pale yellow in colour.

Black millet flour, sometimes made from sun-dried millet, is dark grey, with a distinctive, nutty flavour and a slightly bitter aftertaste. Fine-textured, red millet flour is brown, streaked with red, and has a bland, nutty flavour.

** source : BBC Food 

Ginger garlic paste is one of the most basic essentials of Indian cooking. Apart from imparting a good aroma to the foods it also aids in digestion and tenderizes the meats. 

Traditionally most homes would make it fresh and use up the same day. 

Garlic when crushed or chopped is prone to react with the minerals in the air or with the metals that it comes in contact with. Crushed garlic reacts with acidic ingredients. Sometimes pink salt, vinegar, lemon etc can also cause the discolouration in ground garlic. 

So it is absolutely normal for the ground garlic to turn green or bluish green and is still safe to consume. 

** source : Indian Healthy recipes 

• Ajave seeds 
• Ajowan 
• Ajvain 
• Ajwan

• Bishop’s weed 
• Carom 
• Ethiopian cumin 
• Omam 
• Omum

Ajwain (pronounced aj’o-wen) is a member of the Umbelliferae family, which has some 2,700 members including dill, caraway and cumin. It is mostly found in Indian cooking, where it is also known as bishop’s weed or carom. It is particularly suited to the delicate vegetarian fare found in the state of Gujarat.

Ajwain seeds are used as a spice. The grayish-green seeds are striped and curved (similar to cumin or caraway seeds in appearance), often with a fine silk stalk attached. They are usually sold whole. The seeds are often chewed on their own for medicinal value, tasting bitingly hot and bitter, leaving the tongue numb for a while. Cooking ajowan mellows it somewhat. When crushed, they have a strong and distinctive thyme-like fragrance. 

Ajwain has a particular affinity to starchy foods like savoury pastries and breads, especially parathas. Snacks like Bombay mix and potato balls get an extra kick from ajwain.

It is also good with green beans and root vegetables. Lentil dishes and recipes using besan (chick pea flour). It is occasionally an ingredient of curry powder.

** source : The Epicentre

While sesame seeds have been grown in tropical regions throughout the world since prehistoric times, traditional myths hold that their origins go back even further. According to Assyrian legend, when the gods met to create the world, they drank wine made from sesame seeds.

These seeds were thought to have first originated in India and were mentioned in early Hindu legends. In these legends, tales are told in which sesame seeds represent a symbol of immortality. From India, sesame seeds were introduced throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Sesame seeds were one of the first crops processed for oil as well as one of the earliest condiments. The addition of sesame seeds to baked goods can be traced back to ancient Egyptian times from an ancient tomb painting that depicts a baker adding the seeds to bread dough.

Sesame seeds were brought to the United States from Africa during the late 17th century. Currently, the largest commercial producers of sesame seeds include India, China and Mexico.

• Add sesame seeds into the batter the next time you make homemade bread, muffins or cookies.

 

• Use the traditional macrobiotic seasoning, gomasio, to enliven your food. You can either purchase gomasio at a health food store or make your own by using a mortar and pestle. Simply mix together one part dry roasted sea salt with twelve parts dry roasted sesame seeds.

 

• Sesame seeds add a great touch to steamed broccoli that has been sprinkled with lemon juice.

• Spread tahini (sesame paste) on toasted bread and either drizzle with honey for a sweet treat or combine with miso for a savory snack.

 

• Combine toasted sesame seeds with rice vinegar, soy sauce and crushed garlic and use as a dressing for salads, vegetables and noodles.

 

• Healthy sauté chicken with sesame seeds, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and your favorite vegetables for a healthy, but quick, Asian-inspired dinner.

** source : Whfoods

The green gram is a small, round olive green bean with a sweet flavor and soft texture. The mung or moong bean is the seed of Vigna radiata, belonging to the Indian subcontinent.

These are commonly used in South-Asian cuisine. They are yellow in color once the skins are removed.

It is mostly consumed as a main dish though sometimes it is also used to make sweet dishes. It is either cooked like a dish by boiling and adding spices, or can be made into a paste. Green gram sprouts are consumed directly with lemon and salt as a healthy snack or added to salad. This form of green gram is obtained by germinating them in water.

In some parts ,its cover is removed to make green gram pulse.In China green gram is used to make to a certain kind of dessert. In some countries, green gram paste is used to make ice creams or frozen ice pops. Green gram batter is used to make a certain kind of crepes named pesarattu in Andhra Pradesh.

** source : Food NDTV

Pomegranate seeds come from the pomegranate, which is a fruit about the size of a large orange with a smooth, thick skin that ranges in color from brownish yellow to deep red.

The inside of the pomegranate contains chambers of hundreds of arils, which are the seed pods inside the pomegranate that are separated by cream-colored membranes. These arils consist of juicy, brilliant-red fruit surrounding tiny, crisp, edible seeds. Interestingly enough, a single pomegranate can hold over 600 seeds.

These arils or seed pods are what we commonly refer to as “pomegranate seeds,” and they are typically either eaten raw or processed into pomegranate juice. Pomegranate seeds are also used to make pomegranate seed oil, which has many positive health effects both internally and externally. Like the vibrant red arils, pomegranate white seeds are also available and offer a much sweeter, less tart flavor.

You can also eat the creamy white pithy part surrounding the seeds, but it’s quite bitter. Although you can juice pomegranates very easily, be sure to avoid consuming the tough outer skin.

** source : Medical News Today

• Imli chutney 
• Saunth chutney 

• Sonth chutney 
• Imli ki meethi chutney (North India) 

Tamarind chutney is a popular Indian condiment used to make chaats and is also served with snacks like samosas. 

This sweet & tangy tamarind chutney is extremely flavourful and tastes delicious. A well prepared tamarind chutney elevates the taste & flavour of the chaats

• Aloo chaat 
• Bhel Puri 
• Dahi Vada

• Papdi chaat 
• Sev Puri 

** source : Indian Healthy Recipes 

• Green chutney 

• Hari chutney 

This coriander chutney recipe is for preparing irresistible mild spicy Indian style dip using green coriander leaves, mint leaves,

green chilies, groundnuts, ginger and lemon juice. It is also famous in western part of world but its referred as cilantro chutney.

• red coconut chutney 
• peach chutney 

• tomato chutney 
• date chutney 

** source : Food Viva