Listing description
Finger millet
or Latin Eleusine coracana is an annual herbaceous plant widely grown as a cereal crop in the arid and semiard areas in Africa and Asia. It is a tetraploid and self-pollinating species probably evolved from its wild relative Eleusine africana.
Detailed description
Finger millet is native to
the Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands.[3] Interesting crop characterists of finger millet
are the ability to withstand cultivation on altitudes over 2000 meters above
sea level, its favorable micronutrient contents (high iron and methionine content in particular), its high draught
tolerance and a very long storage time of the grains.
Storage
Once harvested, the seeds keep extremely well and are seldom attacked
by insects or moulds.
Finger millet can be kept for up to 10 years when it is unthreshed. Some
sources report a storage duration up to 50 years under good storage conditions.[2] The long storage capacity makes finger
millet an important crop in risk-avoidance strategies as a famine
crop for poor farming communities.[2]
Processing
Milling
As a first step of processing finger millet can be milled to
produce flour.
However, finger millet is difficult to mill due to the small size of the seeds
and because the bran is bound very tightly to the endosperm.
Furthermore, the delicate seed can get crushed during the milling. The
development of commercial mechanical milling systems for finger millet is
challenging. Therefore, the main product of finger millet is whole
grain flour.
This has disadvantages, such as reduced storage time of the flour due to the
high oil content. Furthermore, the industrial use of whole grain finger millet
flour is limited. Recently a new milling system was developed in India, which
is able to grind finger millet grains. This milling system is called Mini
Millet Mill. The Mini Millet Mill takes into account the traditional knowledge
of the farmers and moistens the seeds half an hour before grinding. Moistening
the millet seeds prior to grinding helps to remove the bran mechanically
without causing damage to the rest of the seed. The mini millet mill can also
be used to process other grains such as wheat and sorghum. The
Mini Millet Mill could be promising as it yields white flour which can be
commercially used.[2][12]
Malting
Another method to process the finger millet grain is germinating
the seed. This process is also called malting
process and is
very common in the production of brewed beverages such as beer. When
finger millet is germinated, enzymes are activated, which transfer starches into other carbohydrates such as sugars.
Finger millet has a good malting activity. The malted finger millet can be used
as a substrate to produce for example gluten-free beer or easily digestible
food for infants.[2]
Nutrition
Finger millet is especially valuable as it contains the amino
acid methionine, which is lacking in the diets of hundreds
of millions of the poor who live on starchy staples such as cassava, plantain, polished rice, or maize meal. Finger millet can be ground and
cooked into cakes, puddings or porridge. The
grain is made into a fermented drink
(or beer) in
Nepal and in many parts of Africa. The straw from finger millet is used as animal
fodder. It is also used for a flavored drink in festivals.
Protein 7.6g
Fat 1.5g
Carbohydrate 88g
Calcium 370mg
Vitamins - A: 0.48mg
Niacin: (B3) 1.2mg
Fiber 3g
Growing finger millet to improve nutrition
The International
Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a
member of the CGIAR consortium, partners with farmers,
governments, researchers and NGOs to help farmers grow nutritious crops, including
finger millet. This helps their communities have more balanced diets and become
more resilient to pests and drought. For example, the Harnessing Opportunities
for Productivity Enhancement of Sorghum and Millets in Sub-Saharan Africa and
South Asia (HOPE) project is increasing yields of finger millet in Tanzania by encouraging farmers to grow improved
varieties. Finger millet is very high in calcium, rich in iron and fibre, and
has a better energy content than other cereals. These characteristics make it
ideal for feeding to infants and the elderly.[14] mng
Preparation as food
In India, finger millet (locally called by various name
including ragi (ರಾಗಿ), kezhvaragu and nachani (नाचणी) is mostly grown and
consumed in Karnataka, Rajasthan,[15] Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra, Garhwal and Kumaon (Uttarakhand), Dang District (Gujarat)[16] and Goa.[17][18] Ragi flour is made into flatbreads,
including thin, leavened dosa and thicker, unleavened roti.
Ragi grain is malted and the grains are ground. This ground
flour is consumed mixed with milk,
boiled water or yoghurt.
In India, Ragi(ರಾಗಿ) recipes are hundreds in
number and even common food stuffs such as dosa, idly and laddu are made out of
ragi.
In Goa ragi is very popular and satva, pole (dosa), bhakri, ambil (a sour porridge) are very common
preparations. Nachani Ladus are common in some families.
In Maharashtra, bhakri (भाकरी in
Marathi; also called ಭಕ್ರಿ bhakri in Northern Karnataka), a
type of flat bread is prepared using finger millet (ragi) flour. Bhakri is
called ರಾಗಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ (ragi rotti in Kannada) in
Northern districts of Karnataka.
In South India[edit]
In Karnataka, ragi is generally consumed in the form of ragi
mudde (balls) (ರಾಗಿ ಮುದ್ದೆ ragi mudde in Kannada). It is the staple diet of many
residents of South Karnataka, especially in the rural areas. Mudde is prepared
by cooking the ragi flour with water to achieve a dough-like consistency. This
is then rolled into 'balls' of desired size and consumed with huli (sambar), Saaru(ಸಾರು), or
curries. Mudde (ಮುದ್ದೆ)is cut into biteable sizes using fingers, dipped in the curry
preparation and swallowed wholly without biting into the pieces. Ragi is also
used to make roti, idli, dosa and conjee. In the malnad region of Karnataka, the whole
ragi grain is soaked and the milk is extracted to make a dessert known as
"Keelsa".
In Tamil Nadu, ragi is called kezhvaragu (கேழ்வரகு) or
just keppai (கேப்பை). Ragi
is dried, powdered and boiled to form a thick mass that is allowed to cool.
This is the famed kali or keppai
kali. This is made into large balls to quantify the intake. It is taken
with sambar or
thick spicy lentil soups flavored with tamarind extracts. For children, ragi is
also fed with milk and sugar (malt). It
is also made in the form of pancakes with chopped onions and tomatoes. Kezhvaragu is used to make puttu with jaggery/sugar and adai (by making a thick paste (sweet or
salt is used) and tapping it flat on a hot skillet). Apart from that, ragi has
its medicinal uses for sinus and severe cold by applying boiled kezhvaragu flour cooled to skin bearable warmth on
the forehead.
In Telangana state, ambali - is consumed in the morning as a
breakfast.
In Andhra Pradesh, ragi
sankati or ragi muddha (రాగి సంకటి in
Telugu) - ragi balls - are eaten in the morning with a chilli, onions, sambar (dish) or
meat curry.
In Kerala, putu a traditional breakfast dish, is
usually made with rice powder with grated coconut and steamed in a cylindrical
steamer. The preparation is also made with ragi powder, which is more
nutritive.
Central & Northern India
In the tribal and western hilly regions of Odisha, ragi or (ମାଣ୍ଡିଆ) mandiaa is a staple food. The porridge and pitha made of ragi are more popular among
village folk.
In the Garhwal region
of Uttarakhand, "koda" (कोदा ) or maddua (मंडुआ) is made into thick
rotis (served with ghee), and also made as a dish - badi (बाड़ी) - similar to halwa but without sugar. In the Kumaon region
of northern India, ragi is traditionally fed to women after child birth.
In South and Far East Asia
In Nepal
In Nepal, a
thick dough made of millet flour (ḍhĩḍo ढिंडो) is cooked and eaten by
hand. The dough, on other hand, can be made into thick bread spread over flat
utensil and heating it. Fermented millet is used to make a beer (jããḍ जाँड) and the mash is
distilled to make a liquor (rakśi रक्शी). Its
use in holy Hindu practices is barred especially by upper castes.
In Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, finger millet is called kurakkan and is made into kurakkan roti - an earthy brown thick roti with
coconut and thallapa - a thick dough made of ragi by
boiling it with water and some salt until like a dough ball. It is then eaten
with a very spicy meat curry and is usually swallowed in small balls, rather
than chewing. It is also eaten as a soup (kurrakan kenda) and as a sweet called
'Halape'.
In Vietnam
In northwest Vietnam, finger millet is used as a medicine for
women at childbirth. A minority use finger millet flour to make alcohol (bacha alcohol is a good drink of the H'mong
minority).
As Health Food
In Southern parts of India, pediatricians recommend
finger-millet-based food for infants of six months and above because of its
high nutritional content, especially iron and calcium.
Home-made ragi malt is a popular infant food.
Holy Deity food
In Tamil
Nadu, ragi is considered to be the holy food of Amman, otherwise
known as "Goddess Kali".
Every small or large festival of this goddess is celebrated with women making
ragi porridge in the temples and distributing it to the poor and needy. This
porridge is called Koozh - a staple diet in farming
communities, eaten along with raw onions & green chillies.
As Beverage
Ragi malt porridge is made from finger millet which is soaked
and shadow dried, then roasted and ground. This preparation is boiled in water
and given to children, patients, adults, etc. This is a good substitute for
milk powder-based beverages.
Common names for finger millet
Arabic: tailabon لدخن
Chinese: 穇子 (Traditional), 䅟子 (Simplified), cǎnzi
(pinyin); also 龍爪稷 and 鴨腳粟 (Traditional)
Danish:
Fingerhirse
Dhivehi: ބިންބި Binbi
English:
Finger millet, African millet, Koracan, Natcheny, Ragi
French:
eleusine cultivee, coracan, koracan
German:
Fingerhirse
India:
Kumaon: maddua
Urdu: منڐوا mandwa; مڙوا maruwa; راگی ragi
Japan: 四国稗 シコクビエ shikoku hie shikokubie
Korea: 수수 susu
Nepal: कोदो kodo; मड़ुवा maruwa
Rwanda: uburo
Tibetan: bras
ma du lun ga
Uganda: Bulo
Vietnam: Hong
mi, Chi ke
Zambia:
Kambale, lupoko, mawele, majolothi, amale, bule
Zimbabwe:
Rapoko, zviyo, njera, rukweza, mazhovole, uphoko, poho
PRICE
$5.50/KG OR
$2.5/IB
For more information:
mobile: +2348039721941
contact person: emeaba uche
e-mail: emeabau@yahoo.com
website: www.franchiseminerals.com
Ragi is a very good to be included as a part of staple diet as it lot of essential nutrients, amino acids and minerals,Ragi recipes are very Nutritious Especially Ragi Mudde recipe
ReplyDeletehelps to improve Diabetic levels in body.