Last Updated on December 29, 2017
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This is the powder which i was talking about here. Now i have this handy and never go back to store bought ones. This powder is great when you are starting your baby to solid foods. Homemade powder is good and preservatives free, so you know what you are feeding your baby.
Ragi
is very healthy for babies, it is filling and help your baby gain
weight in a healthy way. Few things you have to remember before making
this.
1)The
consistency of the porridge which you make totally depends on you. You
can make it too runnier and pour it bottles and feed your baby or make
it little thicker and feed your baby using a spoon.
2) I use panakarkandu or
karupatti as sweetner. This is how i do. I take a small piece of
karupatti or a piece of panakarkandu in a saucepan, add some water in it
and heat it up till it is melted. Then i strain that and add ragi powder in it, strain again and cook them together.
Karupatti
strengthens your baby bones. Panakarkandu helps prevending cold for
your babies. You can even mix up a small piece of both.
3)If you feed a good bowl of this for your baby. Your baby will sleep peacefully for a good 2 to 3 hours. It is that filling.
4)Cook ragi properly. If you didn't cook it properly, it may cause constipation.
5)Many
people say ragi may cause constipation. But i am feeding the to my baby
for 3 weeks now. And she is passing stool daily.
COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
1)Why are you sprouting ragi?
Ragi with skins are little hard for digestion. So sprouting the ragi will make it easier to digest. And also sprouted grains are more healthy and nutritious for your baby.
2)Is roasting the ragi necessary?
Roasting ragi ensures that it dries off the last bit of moisture from ragi and ensure for a longer shelf life of the ragi. Mean while, you have to roast the ragi on a very low flame and for a minimum time.
3)Is it necessary to store ragi in fridge?
I recommend you to store ragi in fridge. Because i am scary cat of handling homemade stuff. I always have concern that homemade stuff should be always be handled carefully because it can get spoiled so easily. So i always keep homemade powder, masala, pickles, jams in fridge to make sure it is always fresh.
4)My ragi is not sprouting even after a day?
Ragi don't sprout so big, you can only see small sprouts in it. And you have to keep the ragi undisturbed in a dark and cool place to make it sprout. You should not peek into it often.
5)Can we grind ragi at normal blender at home?
Grinding ragi at normal domestic blender can take lots of time. It makes the blender gets over heated. So if you want to grind ragi at home, then grind it in small batches. Leave sometime if the machine gets over heated. After you make it into fine powder,sieve it through a fine sieve and allow it to cool down. Once the powder has cooled store it in a air tight container.
How to introduce solid food to your baby:
How to sterilize baby feeding bowls:
Start
by sterilizing the bowls and spoons which you are going to feed your
baby. Take the bowl and spoon in a large saucepan, cover it with water
and bring them to a boil. Boil it rapidly for 5 mins. Now you can turn
the heat off and leave them stay in the hot water till use.
How to make Sprouted Ragi Powder at Home:
To
make fresh ragi porridge. Start by washing fresh ragi by rubbing with
your hands in lots and lots of water to get rid of dirt and other ucky
stuff. Do this step atleast 4 to 5 times to make sure that your ragi is
absolutely clean.
Now soak them in fresh clean water overnight.
Next morning drain it. Now take a colander and line it with a clean white cheese cloth or muslin cloth. Transfer the ragi in the cloth and tie it up.
Now place in a cold and dark place and leave it undisturbed for 12 to 15 hours. I leave it for a whole day.
Next day morning, you can see small sprouts coming out from ragi. Now spread the ragi in a clean cloth or plate and dry it under fan or sunlight for 5 to 6 hours till it is completely dry.
Now heat a large kadai. Add the dried ragi in it and roast on a very low flame till it is lightly toasted.
Remove it to another big plate and allow it to cool down.
Now give this to mill and powder it finely. If you have a powerful blender you can powder it at home, do it in small batches. It will take long time to powder the ragi. After you powder it pass it through a fine sieve. Allow it to cool down and store in a air tight container.
You can store the ragi powder in cupboard. But for safety purpose i store it in fridge.
Pictorial:
 |
| Take your ragi |
 |
| Pour water in them |
 |
| Use your hands to rub |
 |
| so the dirt will come on top |
 |
| Drain off the water, repeat this for 4 to 5 times |
 |
| Cover the ragi with fresh clean water |
 |
| Cover the bowl and soak it overnight |
 |
| This is how it looks the next morning, drain it |
 |
| See the difference |
 |
| Now to sprout the ragi, take a colander |
 |
| Line it with clean white cloth, like a cheese cloth |
 |
| Pour the drained ragi in it |
 |
| tie it up and leave it undisturbed for 12 to 15 hours |
 |
| See the tiny sprouts..Now spread the ragi on a big plate and dry it sun or under fan overnight.. |
 |
| Next day, heat a large kadai |
 |
| The heat should be very low |
 |
| Add the dried ragi in the kadai |
 |
| Roast on a very low flame |
 |
| Till it is toasted |
 |
| Allow it to cool down |
 |
| Give it to mill and powder it or if you have powerful blender powder it,It will take long time to powder this at home, so i gave it to mill and powdered it. |
Anonymous
Aarthi,
Very nice tips for new moms...Sprouted ragi a good option for babies..
Ragi wont cause constipation but it may cause loose motion bcoz of the high fiber in ragi which cleans our stomach.
Why people in all parts of India starting with ragi you know?
you said it is healthy ...yes..bco it has high amount of Iorn in it.
Baby's body has iron,but that is not sufficient after 6 months,breast milk(anymilk)doesn't have iron,so we are starting with high iorn food.Also Karupatti,Jaggery & panam kalkalndu also have high amount of iron.
Ragi's fiber cleans baby's stomach & make the baby heathy. Constipation makes unhealthy.
And btw thanks for posting my previous comment in the post "when to start solid food"
After that only I check there are lot of mistakes in typing..
- Suneeta
chitra
thank u so much for the post aarthi. making everyday fresh Ragi is little pain.can i add milk to this.and also tell me the right time to give ragi for my angel( morning or afternoon. since she is eating idly in the morning.( she is seven month old)
Aarthi
@chitraI dont recommend adding cows milk to ragi, since your baby is 7 month. You can add cows milk when your baby is above 10 months. Give ragi in the afternoon.
Subash A
How long time I stored ragi milk
Shree laxmi
Hi All,
One of my relative prepares very good ,nutrient homemade healthy food for babies above 6 months, she do sell this for working mommies.
Ingredients used :
1) sprouted raagi
2) sprouted chick peas
3) sprouted green gram
4) sprouted peas
5) sprouted cow peas
6) boiled rice
7) whole wheat
9) rajma
10) soya beans lentils
11) groundnut
12) double beans lentils
13) fried grams
14) almonds
15) pista
16) walnuts
17) cashews
18) elachi few pieces
She will add/remove the Ingredients based on your requirements, everything is sprouted at home only. I am taking it from her for my 9 months old baby. He is all fit and active and loves his food.
Please contact [email protected] if you need this for your baby.
Thanks,
Uma
Anonymous
Hi,very well xplained..Will whole ragi hav husk in it wen bought from local vendor? If yes- shal v hav to remove it b4 makin?? Plzz tel hw. Or can v buy husk free ragi from any wer else=>advice pls<=
Aarthi
@AnonymousYes it has husk, u cannot remove it. You can follow this procedure then https://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/2014/01/how-to-make-ragi-porridge-for-babies.html
durga kalyan
i want to add some badams to ragi.will it be heavy for babies.
and how many almonds for 1 kg of ragi.
regards
durga
Aarthi
@durga kalyanNo you can add, just add 100 grams for 1 kg
Sweta Gupta
Thnx aarthi..very helpful information.
Miglou
This is really a great idea! I'm gonna try it for my 14 months old. But how long can I store it in my fridge? Thanks a lot!
Aarthi
@MiglouYou can store this for a month in fridge
Anonymous
Very well explained.. If I want to add badam for my 6month old baby.. How do I proceed..?? Should I directly add it in mixie or should I soak and then add..
Anonymous
Very well explained.. If I want to add badam for my 6month old baby.. How do I proceed..?? Should I directly add it in mixie or should I soak and then add..
Aarthi
@AnonymousRoast it and powder it separately and mix it with this. But store the powder in fridge, so the powder dont get spoiled.
Sadhana
Hi Arthi,
Very useful information.. Thanks a lot. Can I give ragi porridge for my 4 month old baby?
Regards,
Sadhana
Aarthi
@SadhanaYes u can..But give it in diluted form and in very little portion. Once a day.
Aarthi
@durga kalyanJust add 1 handful or two handfuls
Anonymous
Hi aarthi
Very nice receipe
Can u pls tell me for how many weeks or months we can store this in fridge once made.
Aarthi
@AnonymousYou can store this for 2 month in fridge
Aarthi
@Rachna SuprithJust add everything in equal propotion, but add more ragi.
urmila
I have mixed raagi and millet . Kambu together . Is this fine ?
Aarthi
@urmilayes u can use
Sumaira Abid
Plz tell me another name of ragi in urdu.i belong to pakistan i cant understand what is ragi.
Aarthi
@Sumaira Abidragi is also known as finger millet
Anonymous
Dr. Recommend this rahi powder for my twin boys. They r 4 month old. And allergic to milk protein so now no formula milk allow. Plz can u tell how to prepare this after making powder. Should I boil this powder with water or just mix of in boiled water ? And what should b the proportion of water and powder?
Aarthi
@AnonymousU have to add this powder to water and boil it.for 1 tblspn add 1/2 cup water.
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi I boiled n made t porridge from above powder n fed baby in bottle but she was getting choked since grains can b seen seperatly. Wat do I need to correct plz?
Aarthi
@Anonymousthe powder is not made fine then, strain the mix once it is mixed with milk and then heat it.
Anonymous
Hi aarthi,
My baby is 8 months old. I'm planning to add green gram dal,wheat & badam with ragi.should these be sprouted? Pls advice
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can add, no need to sprout them. But it gets much healthier when u sprout them
Anonymous
If adding the above grains wat would be the quantity of each one?
Aarthi
@AnonymousJust add 1/2 cup of each. that would be good. Dont add too much badam. Just a little is good. and if you add nuts then you have to store the powder in fridge
Anonymous
Hi aarthi,
I tried ragi porridge powder. Added samba wheat rava(1 cup) and green gram (half cup) to 1 cup ragi.but my porridge is not thickening. Its in liquid state even if I boil for more than 10 mins.wat would be the mistake?
Aarthi
@Anonymousu must have added too much liquid for the amount of powder u used.
Anonymous
Hi, can this sprouted ragI powder be used in any other form other than porridge? My lo had from 6 months as breakfast but now at 9 months he has more teeth and wants new textures...
Aarthi
@AnonymousYou can add it to chapati dough and make roti, you can add it to dosa batter and make dosa..
Anonymous
Excellent. Thank you!
Anonymous
Hi aarthi recently visited ur site and its really helpful especially for mom' s like me who do not have any elder people at home to guide. I live in Pune and its very difficult to get pannakalkandu or karripatti. As an alternative can I use normal kalkandu for ragi porridge? My baby completed 4 months and I am planning to start with ragi in a very diluted way as my milk supply is less. Please suggest.
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can use normal kalkandu or jaggery
Anonymous
Will it sprout in hot case or casserole if kept overnight?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes it will sprout
Anonymous
hi aarthi thanks for UA posts I'm really confused regarding the drying of the ragi after sprouting dem can I dry in hot sun or shade if I'm not frying n how long if its in hot sun n shade cz many say can't dry in hot sun so pls reply
Aarthi
@Anonymousdry them under hot sun till it is comepletely dry. it will take a couple of days.
Anonymous
Hi aarthy
Whether ragi porridge can be given daily for a 6 month old baby??
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can give..feed only afternoon
Shylaja
Hi aarthi,
Thanks for the recipe. I had powdered the sprouted dried ragi giving in the commercial mill without roasting it. Am planning to give my 6 months old baby, is it harm to give ragi without roasting it. Pls advice.
Aarthi
@Shylajano issues u can give ragi without roasting as well
Aarthi
@Shylajano issues u can give ragi without roasting as well
Dharani
Hi aarthi
My son is going to start his 5 th month in a couple of days so shall I start ragi porridge, and apple puree for him
Anonymous
Hi
Last time I made this recipe, I used 2 kilos of ragi with 200gms of all dals and 100gms of dryfruits..
i washed , roasted and powdered them at the mil.. And I had around 5 kilos of powder.I was scared it would spoil so gave most of it to neighbours. What do you suggest is the shelf life ? The above quantity lasts for atleast 6mths . Is that okay? Should I also roast the powder after its powdered in the mill? I am just so confused !!!
HELP PLZZZZ
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can roast it little for longer shelf life. If you keep this in fridge it will last almost for a year
Aarthi
@Dharaniyes u can start
Anonymous
Hi Aarathi, Can I add sprouted moong and sprouted horse gram in Raagi powder? What should be the proportion and should I remove the skin of moong n horse gram?
What woould be your suggestion to make it more healthy for 6month and 2 week baby?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou can add 100 grams of moong dal. horse gram is not advisable. Roast the moong and add
rucha kavi
I am staying out of india. Is it ok to use TRS ragi flour to prepare baby food ?
Aarthi
@rucha kaviif that ragi is good brand, you can use
Raji
Hi Aarthi, thanks for the recipes for babies. my lo is 6 months old. can i start with other dhal and nuts together. i'm working so it will be very useful for my lo. r u selling this ragi powder with dhal and nuts . if yes, it will be very helpful for me. pls reply
Shailu
Thanks for the recipe
Very useful...
I have a question on drying the ragi under the sun/fan..I live in Uk and don't have both these options..
Please help
What is the other alternative for drying??Can I roast it without drying???
Aarthi
@Shailudry it completely spreading it in a cloth so it will absorb the excess water. Then you can slow roast them
Aarthi
@Rajifor 6 months old you dont need nuts only plain ragi is good
Anita Suhas
Hi Aarti thanks for the above recipe..I hv done exactly u have mentioned.. After making the flour from from mill last tym I stained through cloth. But now I am giving by staining through sieve.. Is it OK .will it be difficult for him to digest..he z now 7 months.. Plz suggest..my mil doesn't help me..n its difficult for me to stain through cloth
Aarthi
@Anita Suhasyes it is ok..sieve is good
Anonymous
Hi
Why ragi dint turn up as u made in pic
Its not thick i had to throw it in bin
Hw mny spoons ragi shud i use for first time feeding a 16 month old baby
I used normal jaggery
Aarthi
@Anonymoususe 2 tblspn of ragi, mix it with milk or water and heat till it get thick
Sandhya
Hii aarthi....I have a doubt?? I recently prepared healthy mix for my baby in that I have added cumin seeds more and aroma is very strong does it harms the babies health....she is 8 months old....she is having it very little....suggest me some tips which encourages my baby to eat more.....
Aarthi
@Sandhyaif the cumin is too strong then it will be hard for baby to enjoy..Make little more batch of the health mix and mix with this. So baby can enjoy. But adding little more cumin wont do any harm
G.Sandhya Reddy
Thank u so much aarthi 4 u valuable suggestion.....can v give babies processed oats(quicker oats) I am using dat....my friends r saying processed oats r not gud 4 babies health....I am in big dilemma whether to use r not?????
G.Sandhya Reddy
One more aarthi...flax seeds are very good for babies I heard....
I bought n grounded it....but nt understanding Hw to use it....I added it in banana bt my baby is nt liking it....wt 2 do pls help me....
Aarthi
@G.Sandhya ReddyYou can add flax seeds to your health mix
Aarthi
@G.Sandhya ReddyIn my place i can only get instant oats so used those..if you can get rolled oats or steel cut oats you can give that too
Ramya Shankari
@Anonymous
If ragi is sprouted for a long time, the sprouts grew bigger, then this happens. So sprout it only till u see small white dots over it.
Anonymous
Hii. Aarthi akka u r recipes are really very simple and easy to understand for new mom.. Thank u so much.
My son is nw 5 month which food should I start and when.plz tll me. B coz I m working woman. .
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou can start with ragi, raw banana, oats and apples, pears, carrots
GS Karthika
Hi Arthi,I am a fan of ur cooking.one of my cousin said sprouted items could only be stored for 20 days.is it true.sprouted items should only be dried away from sunlight.????
Aarthi
@GS Karthikano not like that..if it is well dried, it can be stored for many months
Nida
Hi I gave my child mixture of rice wheat and raggi with badam n nuts little in it just a one tea spoon cooked in a pan with lil water and lil ghee.. After that in 24 hours he passed stools for 5 times
Aarthi
@Nidait is not a issue..Cook it completely. If it is not cooked enough means it may cause this
Anonymous
Hi, nice tips Aarthi...I have a query... How long should the ragi porridge be cooked?? Like if I take 1 tsp
Unknown
Hi Aarthi..
I soaked ragi in water through out night after washing out all dirts from it.. in the morning wen I opened the ragi vessel some sort of smell came from it.. does this smell comes usually.. since I ve not used ragi before I'm not sure of the smell from it.. kindly advise..
Aarthi
It is because it has been soaked too much. No issues with that. Just rinse it really really well and use
Jhansi Rani
Hi Aarthi,
Yesterday night I washed ragi to remove dirts from it n soaked it over night in water. When I opened the vessel of ragi next morning some smell came from it. I have not used ragi before so I'm not sure of that smell from it. I dint like that smell. Please advise on this. Thanks in advance.
Neeta
Hi,is it ok to use readymade ragi powder for making porridge?
Anonymous
Hi, Can anyone pls tell the proportion of each element for making this powder...also what is the shelf life of this powder
Pooja
Whether Ragi cause cold to babies? Please let me know.
Pooja
If you are selling this home made Ragi powder, please let me know
Revathy
Hi arthi..thnx a lot for all this.. My daughter has turned 6 months.. Of all these baby food, wt r those that i can give her as a beginner to solid food
Unknown
Hai Arathi. First of all thank you so much for this wonderful page you wrote. I followed the same steps as you told. But finally after sieving the grounded ragi powder, what I get z white powder along with some red powder mixed in.I think it's that of skin of ragi. Is it alright to give it to my 7 month old daughter? My MIL told it will cause digestive troubles. I'm worried. Your insight on this would be highly appreciable
Aarthi
it is because the ragi is not ground properly. u can give it to mill and grind. if not it may cause constipation and indigestion in baby
sindhu sandhiya
Ragi cause cold to babies ???
Aarthi
no i dont think so.
Yashaswini Nudhurumati
Hi aarthi .. thank for the wonderful step by step procedure. Am almost done with the preparation and about to give to mill to powder ragi. Now after I toasted ragi in Kadai , I found a lil moisture in the base of the plate while allowing it to cool down. Is it fine ?
payal
Hi Aarthi,
Thanks for taking out time and writing this blog with all the step by step images. Ragi really has many health benefits hence it is good for both kids and adults. Even Breastfeeding mom can have ragi. It helps to boost their milk production to meet their baby’s requirement. Working moms generally do not have time to prepare hence they can also buy the same. Here is the link for working moms to buy the Sprouted ragi porridge mix http://www.bygrandma.in/product/ragi-stage-1/
Patricia
Can I store the roasted sprouted ragi in a container and grind just the required amount everytime in a mixie for use?
Aarthi
yes u can