RUSTIC RADISH GOJJU WITH RAGI OR RICE !

When I was in the grocery store last week, I saw this enormous Daikon (kind of Asian Radish), Immediately, I thought of my paternal grandfather (Thatha) who passed away few years ago and about his favorite supper back in his farm near Mysore. He had lost all his teeth by his 50th year, this radish (Indian radishes are pearly white and small with lots of flavor) gojju was his favorite and ate with ragi (red millet flour) balls so he could gulp it down without having to chew !
My father would repeatedly ask my Thatha to visit with us in B'lore so he can get false set of teeth or dentures so he could eat any food he likes. But thatha always refused and said "Nope, this is nature's way, that Dentist is not GOD". And would you believe he only wore either pure cotton or silk clothes with gold cufflings all his life, none of those other linen or polyester??!! CRAZY STUBBORN FELLA !! :D

Rustic Radish/Moolangi Gojju:

I don't know how many of you are familiar with ragi muddhe (similar to Italian Polenta without Cheese but little thicker ,believe it not! :D ), which is made everyday in and around Mysore farms for laborers who work in the farms and come to our home for lunch.They are served two HUGE Ragi or corn meal (Jola) balls with any gravy and they would eat these within mins! As a city bred girl visiting, I would stare at the speed the food would disappear in amazement and got scolded for staring at them by my Ajji!!

Although I was his fav. first granddaughter, my grand father always thought I was not Hindu enough because I went to Catholic schools and too tomboyish to be a good wife to anyone some day! He was very upset with my dad raising me that way. So today I am going to post his fav. rustic farm food in memory of him to prove that not only did I grow up to be a GOOD enough Hindu (took a LOT of reading on Hinduism, mind you! and I admit I am still a bad Lingayat or Veera Shaiva person. Guilty!!) but also a good wife & mother to boot. He better be very proud of me now!!:D

Thatha, you lead a great life on your own terms and from wherever you are looking down on me, here's looking at you old man !! ENJOY!!!

TO MAKE RADISH GOJJU YOU NEED TO:

Grind
1/4 Cup Fresh grated Coconut,
1 tbsp Dalia(Hurikadale),
3-4 or more Fried Green chillies
Salt,Cilantro,Curry leaves
until very smooth.


Then add 2-3 Cups of grated Radish,
grind to a very smooth paste.
Add 1 cup low-fat sour cream or Dannon yoghurt, water if needed,
to grind again.NO HEATING AT ALL!!
Season with Ghee,mustard seeds,red chillies
Curry leaves,3-4 garlic chopped,add to gojju when cooled.


To Make Ragi rounds You Need:

You need about 1 cup of Ragi (Red Millet) flour,
1/2 tsp salt,
1 to 1 1/4 Cup water and
1 tsp ghee.




Boil water,salt,ghee and 2 tbsp of flour in a non-stick pan, keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it bubbles.Turn down the heat to simmer.Now add the ragi flour ladlefuls at a time, stirring vigorously until you get a semi-solid polenta like consistency making sure there are no lumps and cover and let it cook.



After few mins, open the lid and see if it comes to a soft ball leaving the sides clean.Tranfer it to a plate. Serve with ghee in the center and radish gojju. Very tasty, healthy meal!! To eat, take a big marble sized piece from the ball, dip it in ghee, roll
it in gojju and swallow!! DO NOT CHEW!! ( Stop gagging and swallow! NOW!..LOL..)


Or if you are not familiar with ragi flour, you can serve this radish gojju with plain rice, mini papads and some fried yoghurt chillies,equally tasty!!

For Ragi Rottis With Khara Chutney Or Cornmeal Rottis:
Add a little more ragi flour while mixing to make a firm ball,cool and knead with some more dry flour,add onoin etc,. roll out to make ragi rottis to serve with Green chillies chutney! YUM!!! or you can use the same above cooking method to make white corn meal flour(Jola)rounds or rottis too!! Three-in-one recipe. Not bad,huh !! :D

Serve With Ragi Rounds And Ghee:


OR Serve With Rice, Mini Papads And Yogurt Chillies:

Wishing You A Happy No Chewing Day!!