Gujarati traditional Bajra Raab (Millet raab)

 

I wrote this traditional Gujarati recipe about 18 months ago and later found out that some person had plagiarized it and won a prize for it.  I was really gutted to find that out.   Plagiarism isn’t right and I hope all bloggers will get together to ensure no one steals our recipes.

Raab is one of those drinks our grandmothers and mothers made for anyone who wasn’t well and had lost their appetite.  This is one recipe which has been passed down the generations and each family has small variations depending on which part of the world they live. Raab is extremely good for people who have colds or coughs.  It’s also good for people who have lost their appetite.  It’s also given to nursing mothers as Bajra (millet)  has lots of minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium – which are good for new mums.

Time 20 minutes

Ingredients for 2-3 servings

• • 2 tbls bajra (millet) flour
  • 1 tbls ghee (clarified butter)
  • 4 cups of water
  • 4 tbls of jaggery (gor)
  • ½ tsp of dried ginger (Sundh) ( you can even add freshly grated fresh ginger)
  • 1 tsp of Ajmo (Ajwain seeds)(Carom Seeds) More details about Ajwain seeds is here
  • some slices of almonds (optional)

Method:

1. Boil the water in a saucepan and add the jaggery, ginger to the water. Let it simmer.

2. Warm the ghee in a separate saucepan and  add the ajma (carom seeds)  to the ghee and stir until you get a  spicy aroma.  Add the bajra to this and cook until  it starts to cook and little bubbles form (similar to making a roux).  You will also get lovely nutty fragrance.

 

3. Carefully, add the water with the jaggery etc. to the saucepan with the bajra mixture.  The hot water when added to the cooked bajra, will start bubbling and foaming a thick sauce. Stir this mixture with a long wooden spoon.

4. Let this mixture (now called Raab) cook for 5 minutes. If you prefer the raab to be fairly runny like soup, add more hot water if required.

5. Pour the raab into a mug and drink it hot.  The ajmo (carom seeds)  and ginger together with the sweet jaggery gives raab a lovely warm spicy taste which warms you up.  It’s filling if you have not eaten much.

 

6.  This quick and easy recipe is usually served to people who are unwell or to  nursing mothers.  However, if you are well and drinking this raab just to warm you up you can add sliced nuts to it too.

7.  When making this for nursing mums, gund (dondh) (edible gum) is toasted in ghee and added to the raab.  More interesting information about Gondh is here

If you do not have bajra flour, plain wheat flour is fine to use in an emergency.

If  you have a hunger for Authentic Vegetarian Food then subscribe to my blog and receive delectable recipes and new Innovative foodie updates! Hungry for more Vegetarian Tips ? LIKE us on facebook,  Follow us on Twitter,  Pinterest and Instagram.  All the recipes are with step by step instructions and photographs and all of them have been tried, tested, easy to cook and delicious.

If you are interested in one to one or group cookery lessons, or any corporate team building events  – email me on givemesomespice@gmail.com for more information.