Ragi Banana Chocolate Pancakes

Hello to all the Health Enthusiasts out there.

We Goans are well-versed with Nachni or Ragi and we do use it quite extensively in our meals. Be it Tizan or Ragi Malt our households have known this superfood for ages.

The good news is that 2023 is declared the YEAR OF MILLETS! We all should be extremely elated to know that the proposal for declaring this cause was spearheaded by India at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

India is a hub for millet. Our land is known for its wonderful widespread range of millets growing all over the country and we should take pride in the fact that for centuries the farmers in all our villages have been growing them.

So what’s so special about Millets? Firstly, they are superior to wheat and rice. Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients. One serving of millet can contain all the micronutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, etc. And for those who exercise regularly and keep an eye on protein consumption, millet can provide good amounts of protein needed for their active lifestyle.

Millet is a common term for seeded grasses that are often called Nutri-cereals. Some commonly known millets are sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), little millet (kutki), foxtail millet (kakun), proso millet (cheena), barnyard millet (sawa), and Kodo millet (kodon)

So why wait, let’s just start consuming these superfoods right away!

Common ways of consuming them include making millet hand breads, millet porridge, a mixed-veg millet pulao or maybe a multigrain chapati etc. But today, let's look at something with a twist and a little more appealing to both the eyes and the palate

It is a kid-friendly recipe and a perfect eveningIsnack - Pancakes !!!This preparation would take approximately 15minutes and you get 6-7 medium-sized pancakes.RAGI BANANA CHOCOLATE PANCAKESIngredients :. Ragi Flour- 1/2 cup. Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup. Cocoa Powder- 1/4 cup· 1 egg. Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp· Salt - a pinch. Butter - 1.5 tbsp. Powdered Palm Sugar / Powdered Jaggery - 1/4cup· Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp. Milk - 3/4 cupMethod:1. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready.

2. In a cup, whisk an egg and add melted butter and powdered palm sugar Mix everything using a hand whisk. Add in milk and give a quick mix.

3. In a mixing bowl, sieve the ragi flour, wholewheat flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, andbaking powder. Now, add this flour mix to thebutter, egg and milk mixture. Stir it gently untilmoistened. The pancake batter should be thick.but pouring consistency.

4. Heat a tawa or iron skillet. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp ofbutter. Add 1/4 cup of pancake batter to it andspread it to form a circle. Don't spread too much. Itshould be thick, like a pancake.

5. Cook on medium flame. Cook until bubbles formon top of the pancake and flip it carefully. Cook theother side for 2 minutes. Repeat the same for theremaining ragi pancake batter.6. I like to experiment, so I sometimes combine freshstrawberries and walnuts, or even orange juice anddark chocolate in the pancake mix. The latter is aLittle acquired taste. But I love it!

So next time, do throw a millet pancake party toimpress your guests. They will certainly be delightedwith your hospitality and in turn, this gesture will alsogive them a healthy alternative to the normal refinedflour and sugar pancakes.About the Author :Greta Fernandes is a Mumbai-based nutritionist andhome chef. She runs Deliciously URS, an onlineconfectionery that specialises in sugar-free cakesand confectionaries. Deliciously URS provides panIndia delivery of brownies, cookies, and tea cakes.To place orders for cakes and other confections,contact Greta on WhatsApp at 8369880446Website: https://deliciouslyurs.com/