Ragi roti/Ragi chapathi is a soft finger millet flatbread. Being high in calcium and low in glycemic index, ragi/finger millet roti is considered to be a healthy food.
Tired of trying to make soft chapathis ? Thinking how to include millets in diet ? This fool-proof soft millet chapathi is the answer for both questions. Make paneer bhurji and add torn ragi roti to it for kids to enjoy. You can even make pearl millet/bajra/kambu roti using the same recipe.
The recipe for this soft ragi roti was introduced to me by a Kannada friend Mrs.Drakshayini, when she taught the making of Ragi Mudde to me. She is my neighbour(here in US) and also my school bus-stop mate as Nilaa and her daughter are classmates & bus-mates. She is so kind and always open for any sort of help. Thank god for blessing such good friends, especially when we stay away from our country.
I clicked the main pic using the same dough that we made for Ragi mudde and so you could see some rice here and there in the roti. Pls forgive me 😉
Other finger millet recipes:
ragi roti recipe – Stepwise pics follow the below printable description:
- Finger millet/Ragi flour - ½ cup + 1 tbsp
- Water - 1 cup(min) to 1+1/4 cup(max)
- Salt - ¼ tsp
- Finger millet/Ragi flour - for dusting
- Oil/butter/ghee - for smearing
- Add 1 cup water and ¼ tsp salt. Once it comes to rolling boil, add a tbsp of ragi flour and keep the stove in medium flame(knob #4) for 5 mins. Let the kanji(fluid) form.
- Then add ½ cup ragi flour in cone shape(kuvichu podanum). Let it boil in low-medium flame for 1 minute. Then close completely with the lid and simmer(switch off if it is coil stove as that hotness will suffice) for 5 mins. Then open the lid.
- Wet a flat spatula and stir to combine the flour. Don't be too tempted to add water. Use the spatula and combine briskly so that there are no dry flour. You can sprinkle lil water if you still find dry flour after mixing well for 1 minute.
- Wipe the dough stuck to the spatula and add to the remaining dough. Again keep closed(stove switched off) for 2-3 mins. Then wet your hands.
- After making balls from the dough, take each ball and roll between dry palms.
- Dust the ball using ragi flour or wheat flour and roll them as circles. Optionally, you can shape them using tiffin box lid to make perfect circle.
- Roll all balls to circles and start making roti in hot dosa tawa. You can also, roll it parallelly, while making rotis in the side.
- After few seconds, turn to other side and apply ghee, butter or oil. These are all optional. It turns soft even without these lubricants.
- Again turn to other side and apply oil, if required. Just press with spatula on all sides so that ragi roti puffs up nicely.
- No need to cook for long time as the flour is already 90% cooked. Unlike wheat chapathi, even if you turn for many times, ragi chapathi will be soft. Store in hotpack and it remains soft for 4 to 8 hours.
2.I do not usually apply oil while making ragi roti. Still, it comes out softly. You can even apply ghee or butter on each roti just after making it.
3.Adding more water for making dough affects the taste of roti(it makes sticky while eating). Water measurement varies as per flour quality. For ½ cup flour, water varies between 1 to 1+1/4 cup and not more than that.
Preparation – How to make soft ragi roti?
1.Add 1 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt. Once it comes to rolling boil, add a tbsp of ragi flour and keep the stove in medium flame(knob #4) for 5 mins. Let the kanji(fluid) form.2.Then add 1/2 cup ragi flour in cone shape(kuvichu podanum). Let it boil in low-medium flame for 1 minute. Then close completely with the lid and simmer(switch off if it is coil stove as that hotness will suffice) for 5 mins. Then open the lid.
3.Wet a flat spatula and stir to combine the flour. Don’t be too tempted to add water. Use the spatula and combine briskly so that there are no dry flour. You can sprinkle lil water if you still find dry flour after mixing well for 1 minute.
4.Wipe the dough stuck to the spatula and add to the remaining dough. Again keep closed(stove switched off) for 2-3Â mins. Then wet your hands.
5.Knead the dough for a minute using wet hands. Make balls.
6.After making balls from the dough, take each ball and roll between dry palms.
7.Dust the ball using ragi flour or wheat flour and roll them as circles. Optionally, you can shape them using tiffin box lid to make perfect circle.
8.Roll all balls to circles and start making roti in hot dosa tawa. You can also, roll it parallelly, while making rotis in the side.
9.After few seconds, turn to other side and apply ghee, butter or oil. These are all optional. It turns soft even without these lubricants.
10.Again turn to other side and apply oil, if required. Just press with spatula on all sides so that ragi roti puffs up nicely.
11.No need to cook for long time as the flour is already 90% cooked. Unlike wheat chapathi, even if you turn for many times, ragi chapathi will be soft. Store in hotpack and it remains soft for 4 to 8 hours.
              Serve with sambar or any spicy gravies or chutneys of your choice.
Tips/Tricks in making ragi chapathi:
- After adding salt, add lil ghee or oil for super soft ragi roti. This also avoids wastage of flour sticking to the vessel.
- I do not usually apply oil while making ragi roti. Still, it comes out softly. You can even apply ghee or butter on each roti just after making it.
- Adding more water for making dough affects the taste of roti(it makes sticky while eating). Water measurement varies as per flour quality. For 1/2 cup flour, water varies between 1 to 1+1/4 cup and not more than that.
Nutritional Benefits in ragi roti
Finger Millet/Ragi – Protein, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Polyphenols, Amino acids, Folic acid, Vitamins A&B
Hi Thank you for posting all these great and healthy recipes. I tried the ragi roti, my dough was very sticky to roll the chapatis. I applied some dry flour and managed to make the chapati. However there was a powdery after taste…
Is there anything I can do to avoid sticky dough.
Thanks for trying.. If ur dough is too sticky, try reducing water next time..Water quantity might differ as per flour quality..
Can we make ragi roti using ragi dosa mix
Dosa mix might have urad dal too.. Better try with plain ragi flour..
Hi Shyamala. Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been trying for ages to get a recipe for only ragi roti. Almost all recipes had some amount of wheat flour. This was very easy to roll out and tasted good too.
Thank you
Hi thank you for this recipe, I have been trying to make nice soft ragi roti for ages and this recipe is the first one that worked for me. Delicious
Thank you and glad to to hear it 🙂