Ragi Lavash Crackers is an excellent combo of taste and health. These crackers are easy to make, crunchy, light on the digestive system, healthy and delicious.

We as mothers look for various healthy foods which can be given to children in interesting and appetizing ways. Now, to be honest, Ragi may not be a favourite of all but definitely, there are ways to make it interesting. And this recipe is one such example.
This is a very forgiving recipe where you just knead the dough, flavour it with spices of your choice, roll and bake. Serve these with tea or to curb midnight hunger pangs, they are a hit.

These Nachni Chips are good for all but excellent for children as it gives them complete nourishment and you are not bothered about the quantity they consume. They can easily have their fill with these as it is not going to harm them.

In South India, at many places, ragi is given as the first food to infants. Before, we proceed any further, a look at what exactly Ragi and what are its benefits.

 

WHAT IS RAGI?

Ragi is a millet also known as Finger Millet or Nachni Flour. It is a wonder grain seated on the topmost level amongst all the cereals.

BENEFITS 

Ragi, being a millet is full of benefits.

• Rich in digestible fibres, minerals and vitamins and offers excellent nourishment.
• Gluten-free. So it is very good for all who are allergic to gluten and cannot have wheat/semolina etc.
• It helps in reducing weight. How?  This is because, being fibre rich, it makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time thus reducing the food intake. Also, the fat content in Ragi is much lower than all other cereals.
• Low in glycemic index which makes it good for diabetics.
• Rich in calcium. Normally cereals are devoid of calcium but this millet is an exception. Thus it is good for growing children and for all those who are deficient in calcium. So, now instead of having that calcium pill, you can include ragi in your diet.
• Suffering from anaemia? Start including Ragi in your diet as it is a rich source of iron.
• Excellent baby food as it not only improves digestion but is full of nutrients like iron and calcium.
• Boosts lactation. So, feeding mothers have ragi in some form or the other.

For more detailed info regarding the benefits of Ragi, read here.

I have already shared sweet preparations with Ragi, like Ragi Banana Cake and Ragi Chocolate Muffins. So, instead of Ragi cookies, though of something savoury this time and hence come up with these Ragi Lavash Crackers.

Easy Recipe with Ragi Flour: Instant Ragi Dosa

How To Make

These Ragi Lavash Crackers are exactly like my Multigrain crackers. Making crackers is actually the easiest. You knead flours with lots of herbs and then roll it thinly, cut and bake. Now, this choice of herbs can vary as your choice.

You can make it Indian style by adding fenugreek leaves, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, caraway seeds (ajwain), fennel seeds (saunf), etc. or make it Italian using oregano, etc.

It is then baked till crisp. The colour is already dark brown so it's not easy to judge by looking at the colour. A slight change in the colour and then a little hard when picked up, tells you that these are done. You can store these easily for up to a week. Again, you can make these in the oven or air fryer or on the gas stove.

 

Step By Step Recipe

• Take both the flours, salt and all the herbs in a bowl.
• Add oil and curd and rub everything so that it resembles bread crumbs.
• Now add little water at a time and knead a soft dough. Keep it exactly like chapati dough, neither too hard nor too soft.
• Cover it and leave it for at least half an hour.

• Before starting to make crackers, first, start preheating the oven to 180 degrees. Line the baking tray with parchment paper and keep it aside. Do not preheat this tray.
• Divide the dough into 3 or 4 parts. Take one part and using dry flour, roll it as thin as possible. Do this on the kitchen counter so that you have space to roll it thinly.
• Mix oil and water in a bowl. Using a brush, apply this oil mixture to the rolled dough.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds and nigella seeds. Press lightly so that they stick to the dough.
• Using a pizza cutter, cut crackers in various shapes. I prefer triangles.
• Lift each cracker and keep it on the baking tray. Use a knife for lifting, it eases the process.

• Lower the temperature to 160 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till colour changes a little and are slightly hard to touch.
• Keep them on a wire rack till completely cool.
• Serve with love, juice optional.
• Store the rest, if any, in an airtight container.

 

Bake in Air Fryer

• Preheat the air fryer at 180 degrees for 5 minutes.
• Take out the basket, keep the crackers in it and return it to the air fryer machine.
• Reduce the temperature to 160 degrees and bake the crackers for 15 minutes approximately.
• No need to flip the crackers in between.
• When the colour changes and the sides get golden brown, they are done.

 

Bake on as Stove

• Keep a wide kadhai on the gas stove. Lay salt/sand. Keep a stand on it. Ensure that the stand doesn’t have any rubber hooks in the base, else they will melt in the process of baking and spoil your kadhai.
• Cover and preheat for 10 to 15 minutes on medium flame.
• Keep the crackers on a plate and keep it in the preheated kadhai. Choose a plate that can be held with tongs. This is because the kadhai is really hot and it is very difficult to do with hands. Like I used my pie dish for this. You can even use a cake pan.
• Cover and bake these on sim gas for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Baking time will also depend on the thickness of your kadhai. Like I used a very thick-bottomed kadhai and it took almost 45 minutes. So, do not opt for very heavy bottomed woks.

 

FAQs

Q) I do not like Ragi's taste. How can I make it appealing to my taste buds?

Yes, Ragi, though full of nutrition, but has a muddy or say earthy flavour. If you are having Ragi for the first time then you may or may not relish it easily.

• So, one way to reduce this smell is to roast it slightly.
• The other is to add flavours. Like, I added banana and cocoa in cakes.
• And in these crackers, I have used a lot of herbs like basil, parsley, garlic, and oregano.

 

Q) Can I omit wheat flour and make these crackers gluten-free?

 I have used little wheat flour as this help in making thin crackers. I tried with pure Ragi also, but rolling Ragi flour thin and then lifting it is not at all easy. I could make it but was quite difficult. Lack of gluten didn't let me roll it thinly and then lifting it. Thus added some wheat flour and making these crackers was a breeze then.

So, you can omit wheat flour but then be prepared to have slightly thicker ones. 

Some More Baked Crackers Recipes:

• Multigrain Crackers
• Cheese Crackers
• Hummus & Oats Crackers
• Eggless Churros

 

Testimonials