An easy way for a mother to provide iron and calcium to her children

Iron and calcium are critical nutrients for growing children not only for good physical health but also for enhanced intellectual abilities. These are usually found in cereals and some fruits and vegetables like millets, bananas, and palak. Sometimes, it is difficult to give such foods regularly for children in day-to-day meals. An alternative easy way is to give ragi porridge to children every day.

Ragi porridge is a wholesome meal, easy to make, and highly nutritious. It is rich in iron and calcium. Sprouted ragi has more protein and nutrients and is rich in an enzyme called amylase.

You need to first make sprouted and malted ragi powder. Pick up ragi from a good shop and wash it well. Soak in water for a couple of hours and then drain away from the water. The wet ragi must be tied in a wet cloth and kept aside in dark for about 24 hours. After that, the ragi will have small sprouts. This must then be dried under the sun (in shade, if the sunlight is scorching, to prevent denaturing of the nutrients). After drying, you must roast it until it turns brown. At this point, the roasted mixture will be aromatic. This must be cooled to room temperature and then ground in a dry grinder. The powder can then be sieved to your desired texture. This powder can be stored in airtight boxes for about a month.

When you make the porridge, take water in a bowl and add some powder into that and mix it well, then put the bowl on the flame and cook the porridge while continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Ragi porridge can be cooked in 3 to 4 minutes.

This porridge can be consumed in different ways:

1. Mix ragi porridge with milk, jaggery, and ghee

2. Add boiled and mashed dal and veggies with some salt, pepper, and ghee

3. Mix buttermilk with cooled porridge with a pinch of salt.

Ragi porridge is highly nutritious for all age groups. Consuming it every day is very healthy.

The method of sprouting must be correct. Otherwise, some fungus, bacteria, and their toxins and spores can accumulate in the powder. Hence either you make the powder at home or buy it from a reputed brand like Brawn Silverspoon Ragi. Powders available in supermarkets are not reliable.