Keppai Kali (sweet)

A kid friendly healthy breakfast for summer.

Other names: Sweetened ragi pudding , இனிப்பு கேப்பை களி, 'Finger millet' porridge.

In my home town , our Summer mornings would start with a pleasant voice of a tender coconut / Palmyra juice vendor (pathaneer-the toddy before fermentation) or Indian Ice-apple (nungu) selling lady. As the summer approaches, my mom would change our food habits to suit the weather. Some items like ghee roast dosa , poori and almost all the fried items would be replaced by the simple food like keppai kali, ulunthu kali, venthaya kali,curd rice, ragi dosa, kambu kool(zh), neeragaram, buttermilk, greens etc .The evening snacks like bajji, vadai and desserts would be changed to sundal (lentils), fruits and kolukkattai. By an endless supply of buttermilk to her daily visitors like the spinach vendor, vegetable seller, fish sales man. etc., she would often appear as a cool Goddess to me now:)

Life is changing and our needs too. But that craze for those simple foods never cease to amaze me. So I tried to create her special kali made of keppai and karuppatti (palm jaggery). Hope you all like it.

Ingredients:
Ragi flour - 1/2 cup
palm jaggery - 1 cup (or) brown sugar - 3/4 cup
(cane sugar jaggery or white sugar won't yield a good taste here)
coconut - 1/4 cup shredded (optional)
Water
garlic - 6 pearls
sesame oil - 2 tbsp (to serve)

Method:
Mix water to the palm jaggery and bring it to a boil. As it dissolves , filter and remove all the sediments and froth.Keep aside. (Avoid this step if we use brown sugar).

Mix water to the flour little by little to get a free flowing consistency like that of dosa batter (pancake mixture).

Heat slowly the pure palm jaggery solution along with the flour, finely sliced garlic, coconut in a thick bottom vessel. Stir continuously.

After a few minutes the solution will get thick. Reduce flame and stir well till the garlic and the flour are cooked. If the flour is not cooked properly, then add some water and continue cooking in low heat.

Switch off when the kali becomes thick.

Keppai inippu kali is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot as breakfast or snack along with a tsp of sesame oil on the top.

Medicinal value:
1.Ragi (red millet) is a whole grain rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. It helps in weight loss.
2.Ayurveda recommends Palm jaggery for diabetic patients as an alternative sugar.
3.Garlic is believed to get rid of bad cholesterol.
4.Sesame oil has innumerable health benefits : in treating hypertension, BMI control,hormone regulation, cholesteral reduction etc.

Foodista:
http://www.foodista.com/recipe/JH4R7777/indian-foodstuffs/widgets