Ragi momos: a healthier alternative to refined flour dumplings, rich in calcium and fibre

Momos are a favourite with children and adults alike, and the sight of a plate of them is enough to make anyone's mouth water. Paneer momos, vegetable momos and steamed momos are made with a range of fillings. But instead of eating refined flour momos every time, try making them with a bowl of ragi flour.

These momos are tasty as well as nutritious. The calcium in ragi flour and the fibre in the vegetables are good for the body. They do not take much time to make either. Children are often fussy about eating vegetables, and ragi flour momos are a good way around that. Here is the recipe.

For the dough and filling, you will need ragi flour, wheat flour, salt and oil. The vegetables needed are cabbage, capsicum, carrot, ginger-garlic and onion. You will also need soy sauce, black pepper powder and tomato sauce.

First, finely grate the cabbage and carrot. Mix them by hand and squeeze out the water. Then, in a large plate, put the ragi flour, wheat flour and salt to taste. Add water as needed and knead a dough.

Now heat oil in a pan, add finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute until light brown. Then add the onion, cabbage, carrot and capsicum and cook covered on a low flame for 5 to 10 minutes.

If you add salt while the vegetables are cooking, it will season each vegetable well. After that, add the black pepper powder, soy sauce, tomato sauce and any other sauce of your choice, and mix well.

Make small balls of the dough and roll them out into wrappers. Fill each wrapper with the prepared mixture and shape it into a momo.

Place the momos on an oiled sieve and steam for 10 minutes. Your quick, healthy and tasty ragi momos are ready.