Getting Ragi in my daily routine had been on my wish list for quite sometime, especially after moving to Maharashtra and getting to know about the benefits of this superfood.
My chai is incomplete without biscuits, be it any time of the day. In my quest to adopt healthy lifestyle, I recently realised that I was eating about 5-6 Marie biscuits per cup of tea!
Even though packaged Marie biscuits look innocent and the labels try to further convince you they are healthy, the fact is that they are loaded with hidden calories. I realised it more when I began my attempts to bake my own biscuits. I could never get the perfect texture or finish and I would wonder how the packaged biscuits get it right in every single piece! Well, the secret lies in the various chemicals masked under the head raising agents mentioned in the ingredients. Don't believe me, read one yourself! Except for Amul biscuits, I have hardly seen biscuits that use even pure good butter. Mr. Hubby once ordered online some nice homemade biscuits made with wholewheat flour, jaggery and ghee. However, after reading the price label, I couldn't even eat one!
Necessity is the mother of invention. So, after various failed attempts and learning from my mistakes, I finally got them right.
Here's the recipe
Ingredients
Ragi/Finger Millet Flour - 1/2 Cup
Wholewheat Flour - 1/2 Cup
Butter (Cold solid) - 1/3 Cup, cut into cubes
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 Cup (U may even use powdered brown sugar/jaggery powder)
Baking Powder - 3/4 tsp
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Cold Milk - 1-2 tbsp
Oil - for greasing the baking tray
Method
1. Roast the Ragi flour on low-medium flame till you can notice the aroma. We do not need to roast till the colour change. Just enough to let go of the rawness. Once done, remove and set aside to cool.
2. Sift together the Ragi Flour, Wholewheat Flour and baking powder and mix well.
3. Sift in the powdered sugar into the flour mixture and mix well.
4. Add the cold butter cubes and rub with the flour using fingers until the mixture gets a crumble like texture.
5. Make a bay in the centre and add the vanilla essence.
6. Slowly, add little by little milk and bind the mixture. Do not knead. Just enough milk to bind the mixture will do.
7. Refrigerate the mixture for 20-30 minutes or till it gets firm.
8. Dust a working table. I have used my granite Chakla on which we prepare Chapatis. Gently roll the dough into a 1" thick sheet. Honestly, I used my hands to do most of the flattening. However, it depends on one's comfort.
9. Using a cookie cutter, cut the biscuits in desired shapes. I used the lid of the baking powder bottle.
10. Arrange the biscuits on a greased baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
11. Remove and keep on a wire rack for cooling. The biscuits will appear soft when hot however, please dont be tempted to overbake or you will end up with jaw breaking biscuits (been there, done that!). They will automatically get firm once they cool.
12. One cool, store in an airtight container and enjoy guilt free!
