Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Ragi (Nachani)~Jaggery Appo (Paniyaram) with melon seeds.


Naivedyam ... "Ragi (Nachani/Finger Millet)~Jaggery Appo (Paniyaram) with melon seeds" ... A little bit of twist in traditional recipe to please Lord Hari (Vishnu / Krishna) from routine appos as the auspicious days of Adhika Masa comes to an end today ... Sharing the Naivedyam / Prasadam of “33 Appos (as per ritual)” offered to Lord Hari with all my friends here … Stay Blessed and Spread Happiness …...

** Godu Appo / Sweet Paniyaram is a dish that is mostly prepared as Naivedyam / Prasadam to Lord Ganesha. However, I recently came to know that during Adhika Masa which comes about around once in 32.5 months period as per Hindu calendar, it is a ritual to prepare 33 sweet appos (paniyarams) as Naivedyam offering to Lord Hari / Krishna / Vishnu and then distribute the same among friends. As today is the last day of Adhika Masa also known as Purshotamma Masa or Mala Masa, I prepared the same as an offering to Lord Hari. I have prepared many a type of sweet appos with many twists before too and posted them in the Blog. Just use the search option for the same and you will find many varieties both sweet and spiced ones, you can also check through the common link posted at the bottom of the recipe. This one is prepared with nachani (ragi / finger millet) with the addition of rava and banana and it turns of soft and spongy. Do try this out and enjoy with your family and friends. You can also prepare them as Naivedyam offering to God as I did. 

** Here is the simple Recipe for "Naivedyam : Ragi (Nachani/Finger Millet)~Jaggery Appo (Paniyaram) with melon seeds" .... My Style .... 

** Ingredients : 
Nachani / Ragi / Finger Millet Flour : 1.5 to 2 cups 
Rava / Fine Rava : ½ cup 
Coconut : 3-4 tblsp freshly grated. 
Ripe Banana : 1 large sized. (Cavendish Bananas available in Mumbai) 
Jaggery : About 250-300 gms cut into small pieces or grated. 
Salt : A Pinch 
Cardamom Powder : ½ tsp. 
Cooking Soda : Just a small pinch 
Melon Seeds : ½ cup 
Ghee + Oil for frying. 


** Nachani / Ragi / Finger Millet Flour : I have used Nachani Flour freely available in the market. If it is not available in your vicinity, you can make your own by grinding the nachani grains in a mixer grinder and sieving it through a fine sieve. You can also send the Nachani grains to flour Mill for grinding it to fine powder and store it in an air tight container and use whenever needed. Nachani is very good for health and there are many recipes blogged here and the flour will not go wasted. 

** To Prepare the Batter :  Grind the banana cut into pieces in a mixer grinder to a fine paste. Now add in the jaggery grated or cut into small pieces along with coconut and further grind till evenly ground to smooth paste with half a cup of water. 

** Note : I have used the Cavendish Bananas available plenty in Mumbai, you can use any ripe bananas. But if using smaller varieties of bananas to add in more, say about 2. 

** Remove the ground paste into a wide large bowl. Now add in a pinch of salt, cardamom powder, rava and mix well. Now gradually keep adding the nachani flour while you keep mixing the batter. Add in more water if necessary. See to it that there are no lumps. Check the consistency of the batter. If too thin add in a little bit of flour. Keep the batter aside for 15 mins, for resting. 

** Note : The step of allowing the batter to rest is very Important. This is done to ensure that the rava and flours absorb the moisture as it is dunked in it, resulting in swelling a little bit. The batter consistency should be thick dropping one. If you find the batter a little bit thinner do not be disheartened. Add in a few teaspoons of rava or flour and gently mix the batter. If you have adding in more and the batter has turned out dry on resting add in a little bit of water and mix well. To avoid such mishaps I advise you to add in the flour slowly little by little so that it does not dry out. Add in only that much rava / flour that gives you right consistency. Now the batter has rested and is ready for removing appos. 


** To Remove the Appos / Paniyarams : Just before you start heating the pan, add in the cooking soda to the batter and mix well. Now the batter is ready to be made into appos. In a small bowl add in equal quantity of ghee + oil and mix well and keep it ready. I sometimes use this method for removing of sweet appos, this was how my mother prepared and I follow her. You can use only ghee or only oil too. The choice is yours. 

** Note : Add the cooking soda, just about 3-4 minutes before you start to take the appos and not before the resting period. That way you will get spongier appos. Again, addition of soda is optional, you may skip it too. I sometimes add and sometime don’t. For this particular recipe, though I have added on the cooking soda, a small pinch will give you very soft and spongy appos. 

** When the appo / paniyaram pan is hot add in some melted ghee + oil in each of the dents. Lower the heat and place a few melon seeds in each of the dents (Optional). Now pour a large tablespoon of the batter into each mold / dent of the pan. Do not add more. It should remain within the inner level of the molds. Cover with a dome shaped lid and cook on slow-medium heat level till crispy on the bottom side. 

** Gently run a blunt knife through the rim edging of each appo and loosen them gently with the help of another spoon turn them over / flip each appo and cook uncovered for a few minutes till done. Remove with the help of a spoon / blunt knife and put it in a bowl kept ready. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until all the batter has been used up. It is better to finish off the batter, but you can store it in the fridge overnight too. Just remove some time before you want to remove the appos. 


** “Ragi (Nachani)~Jaggery Appo (Paniyaram) with melon seeds” is done and is ready to be offered as Naivedyam to God. This is a very easy recipe that can be prepared fast when in lack of time and is a breeze work as there is no heavy grinding involved. So go ahead and prepare them and share them with all your friends. Remember Naivedyams / Prasadam should always be shared to get maximum benefit of Ashirwaad / Blessings. 

** For all the Appos Recipes, Click on the link given below  …. 

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring". 

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