RAG Demo

Tag: Farmers meal

  • Zunka Bhakri

    Zunka bhakri is the food of Maharashtra's farmers and labourers, and the pairing is so deeply associated with rural life that the state government once ran a subsidised zunka bhakar kendra scheme. Zunka, also called pithla when made wetter, is gram flour cooked with onion, garlic and chilli until dry and crumbly. Bhakri is an unleavened flatbread of jowar or bajra patted by hand.

    The zunka is savoury, garlicky and pleasantly coarse, with toasted bits stuck to the pan that everyone fights over. The bhakri is thick, slightly smoky and wholesome, with a puffed, papery top layer. Together with raw onion, a green chilli and a dab of thecha, it makes a complete, sustaining meal.

    Zunka takes about fifteen minutes and needs only pantry staples, so it is a common quick lunch. Making bhakri by hand takes practice, since jowar has no gluten and cracks easily, but a few attempts are usually enough. Pithla bhakri is also a popular trekking meal at forts around Pune, sold by villagers at the top.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / onion / jowar flour / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the zunka

    • 1 cup (100 g) besan
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 8 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 3 green chillies, chopped
    • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • About 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    For the jowar bhakri

    • 2 cups (240 g) jowar flour
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • About 1 cup hot water
    • Extra jowar flour for patting

    Method

    1. For the bhakri, mix jowar flour and salt, add hot water and mix with a spoon. When cool enough to touch, knead hard with the heel of your palm for 4-5 minutes into a smooth, crack-free dough. Knead each portion again just before shaping.
    2. Take an orange-sized ball, place it on a floured board and pat with your palm, rotating it, into a 7-inch round. Lift onto a hot tawa on medium-high, top side down.
    3. Brush the upper surface with water. When the water dries, after about 1 minute, flip. Cook for 1 minute more, then hold it directly over a flame or press with a cloth so it puffs. Keep warm in a cloth.
    4. For the zunka, heat oil in a kadhai on medium. Crackle mustard seeds, add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves, garlic and chillies and cook for 1 minute until the garlic turns golden.
    5. Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft and lightly coloured. Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt.
    6. Lower the heat and sprinkle in the besan, stirring constantly. Roast for 3-4 minutes until it smells nutty and coats the onions.
    7. Sprinkle water a little at a time, stirring and breaking up lumps, until the besan is moist and crumbly. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 minutes, stirring twice, until it is cooked and slightly crisp at the bottom. Garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Fresh jowar flour binds better; old flour cracks while patting.
    • Let the zunka catch slightly at the bottom; those crisp bits are the best part.
    • For pithla, use more water so it cooks into a soft, spoonable consistency.

    Serve with

    Raw onion, green chilli thecha and a glass of buttermilk.

  • Ragi Mudde

    Ragi mudde, or ragi ball, has been the staple food of rural south Karnataka for centuries, especially in Mandya, Mysore, Hassan and Tumkur. Farmers eat it because it is filling and gives steady energy through a day of field work. Ragi grows well in dry conditions, and a meal of mudde with saaru is still everyday food in many Kannada homes.

    The balls are smooth, dense and greyish-brown with a mild, earthy taste. They are not chewed: a small piece is pinched off, rolled in the gravy and swallowed. That is why mudde is always eaten with a thin, spicy gravy such as bassaru, soppina saaru or a mutton or chicken saaru.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsragi flour / water / salt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup ragi flour (finger millet flour)
    • 2 cups water
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp ghee or oil (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring 2 cups water, salt and ghee to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
    2. Take out about 1/2 cup of the boiling water and keep it aside in a bowl.
    3. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the ragi flour all at once in a mound in the centre. Do not stir. Let it sit on the boiling water for 2-3 minutes so the flour steams.
    4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a traditional mudde kolu, stir vigorously to combine the flour and water, breaking up any lumps. It will be a thick, stiff mass.
    5. If it is too stiff, add a little of the reserved hot water. Keep stirring and pressing on low heat for 3-5 minutes until smooth and the flour is fully cooked. It should not stick to a wet finger.
    6. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2 minutes, then switch off.
    7. Wet your palms with water, take a portion of the hot mixture and roll it into a smooth ball on a wet plate. Repeat. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Adding the flour without stirring at first is the trick to lump-free mudde.
    • A cooked mudde does not stick to wet fingers; if it does, cook a little longer.
    • Use a wooden stick or the back of a wooden spoon; a metal ladle will not mix it well.

    Serve with

    Bassaru, soppina saaru, avarekalu saaru or a spicy country chicken curry.