Raagi Bhakri is a favorite in our home. It’s easy to prepare and very filling. During this past visit to Kumta I replenished our stock of Raagi flour.
A few blocks from our place in Kumta is a little “girNi” (or mill) which grinds various types of flour. It is run by a distant relative ours; apparently everyone in Kumta is related to each other! And fortuitously for me, he was milling raagi flour that day. So here’s a little tour of the making of Raagi Flour.
Above – Shanbhag maam (in Kumta I call all elders by this honorific ~ we are all related, you see) poses with a bag of Raagi flour.
Raagi comes in these 110 lb bags and Shanbhag maam hauls these on his back.
My first look at whole raagi (Red millet or African millet).
In this simple contraption, the millet is ground. Through the homemade bellows in the foreground, the ground raagi collects in tin cans. The husk blows up through the pipe at the top and collects in the cloth bag in the back.
To cool, the ground raagi is heaped on newspapers on the floor, then hand filled in plastic bags and sealed. For a pittance I bought a couple of bags of raagi flour and carried them to our home here. On our dining table, raagi bhakri will appear more often. Yaay!
A closer look at the owner/manager/laborer/bag filler/cashier/cleaner/load hauler!
My Posts from Rural Karnataka:
Arun Shanbhag 
Hello there! It’s a slow day today at work and I have time to browse around. I was just searching around on Google and found your website. I love it, it’s clarifying and I love the way you write your articles. Unquestionably a nice surprise and I’m happy Google pointed into your direction. Take Care!
Thank you.
Arun
Dear Arun,
Ever since my two boys were babies (they are 8 and 10 years old old), I have given them Ragi porridge made with coconut jaggery (rich in iron) and mik every morning. Now that they are older, they crib about it.
They both play basketball and are tall for their age. Now that you have explained the origin of ragi as African millet, I am going to use this to get them to drink ragi porridge with an awareness of health. They are highly impressed with the height, strength and stamina of the African Ameican basketballers. Now I can do some correlation with ragi and the american basketballers and hope that can end some morning cribs from them….
Thanks for the information. Awareness preceeds change.
By the way, do you have the recipe for Ragi Neeru. would love to include this in summer when they go daily to summer camp…..
regards
sandra
Sandra: You are amazing! We have started our baby girl (2 now) on a raagi and other cereal blend porridge. I got this from talking to some folks in rural india. The bestest!
Now that you mention Raagi Neeru, I just had that in Kumta at a “Cold Drink House.” See write up here.
https://arunshanbhag.com/2005/11/24/kumta-main-street/
The recipe is very simple: roast the raagi, along with some coconut gratings, and blend with jaggery. So essentially what you are doing with the porridge, but make it watery. I think they also add a pinch of ground elaichi (cardamom).
May the kids grow to be tall, strong and wise.
Arun
Respected sir ,
its a kind request that would you please be able to supply me ragi at my destination . Eagerly waiting for your positive reply . . . . .
Regards :
SHUBHAM JAIN
Mr Subham,
I have sent to you by email, contact info Mr Ramnath who can help you with purchasing Raagi Flour for your business.
Best Wishes
Arun
arun,
i am a retailer in bhopal, madhya pradesh and as it seems that the popularity of ragi bhakri is spreading world wide and our costumer also demanding its floor and i am also looking forward to add this famous product in my shop so could you please tell me where would i find the nearest possible source to recieve ragi bhakri at my town. so could you please enlighten me regarding this .
my contact no. is 09981292202.
you could also mail me at shubham_mitra1@yahoo.co.in
regards :
shubham jain
rakesh grain stores,
17,new market t.t. nagar ,
bhopal (m.p.)
462003
Hi Pradnya:
What a surprise to hear from you!
Yes, it is us!
How are you guys doing? Ready for the engagement? :-))
You can write to us at
arunshanbhag at gmail
And glad you like this blog! Browse and let me know what you think!
and regards to all
Arun and M
Hi Arun,
This is Pradnya. I was just browsing the web and I happened to see your site. It is simply amazing. Are you the same Arun Shanbag who used to live in Chicago some 15 years ago?
Thank you Kashishhh for your kind words;
I truly enjoy meeting, writing and sharing about the wonderful people in India.
Enjoy!
Dearest Arun..
Love for food and cooking brought me to ur website..
But i strtd learning a lot more thn food and m so grateful to you fer sharing all this wonderful lil things wid all of us online..
Take care .. And May God Bless..