Finger Millet Sweetdish (Nanchne Duddalli / Ragi Manni / Ragi Halubayi) With Coconut

In our region, finger millet is used by many people along with other cereals. It is called Raagi in Kannada and Nanchano in Konkani. It is healthy and nutritious besides being cold to the body. It is used in preparing nanchanya bolu(a kind of drink) and nanchanya udaak especially in summer. Nanchanya duddali is a common preparation among Konkanis. It is generally prepared with coconut. We make it without coconut also. I will post that version soon.

Dals and cashew pieces are added to give a nice bite to the otherwise very soft duddalli. Serve as it is or topped with a dollop of ghee on top.

Ingredients:
1 cup finger millet (ragi/nanchne)
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup Jaggery
1 tbl spn toordal (optional)
1 tbl spn chanadal (optional)
1/2 tbl spn cashewnut pieces
1/2 tea spn cardamom powder

Method:
Soak millet in water for about 2-3 hours. Grind it in mixer with about 2 cups of water and filter it using a clean and thin cloth separating the skin. Keep the filtered mixture for about 2-3 hours and discard the water that stands above the millet paste.
Cook toordal, chanadal and cashewnut pieces. Coarsely grind coconut with 1/2 cup water. Add coconut paste, jaggery, dals and cashew pieces to paste and mix well. Add a little more water to keep it in liquid state. Cook it in a thick bottom pan and go on stirring.
When cooked, the mixture gives transparent look. Take off the heat, add cardamom powder to this and mix well.
Pour it onto a flat plate coated with ghee. When it cools, cut it with a knife coated with ghee to the size and shape of your choice.

Serves : 3-4

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