How to make crunchy ragi chips at home for children's snacks

Children often insist on eating market-bought food. In the evening, everyone at home craves something crunchy and spicy with tea. Packets of chakli or maida-based snacks are then brought home, which are not good for children's health at all.

Instead, ragi chips can be made at home. Rather than oily, airtight packets from the market, these homemade chips can go into children's tiffins or be given to them when they feel hungry.

Ragi contains nutrients such as calcium, fibre and iron. It has plenty of calcium and phosphorus, which keep bones strong and lower the risk of osteoporosis. One ragi bhakri should be eaten in the daily meal. Here is an easy recipe for ragi chips.

The ingredients are ragi flour, rice flour, hot water, white sesame seeds, carom seeds (ajwain), Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, desi ghee and salt. For the topping, chaat masala, cumin powder, dry mango powder (amchur), peri-peri seasoning and black salt are needed.

First, put 1 glass of water to heat in a pot. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, oil, carom seeds, sesame seeds, red chilli powder and turmeric, and mix well.

When the water is hot, add the ragi flour and rice flour and mix everything with a spoon. Then switch off the gas and cover the mixture with a lid, leaving it for 5 minutes. The steam will soften the ragi flour.

Once the mixture cools a little, tip it onto a plate and knead it well for 3 to 4 minutes. When a soft ball of dough is ready, place it between two sheets of butter paper and roll it out to a medium size like a chapati. The thinner the chips, the crunchier they will be.

Prick small holes in the rolled chapati with a fork and cut it into triangles or squares. Then heat oil in a pan and fry the chips on low to medium heat until golden on both sides.

Put the fried chips in a bowl, add chaat masala, peri-peri seasoning and black salt, and toss well. The ragi chips are ready.