Kids at home often beg for chips and other fried, unhealthy snacks, leaving parents torn between giving in and worrying about what packaged, market-bought chips actually do to their health. The good news is there is a snack that ticks both boxes, tasty enough for children to ask for again and again, yet packed with nutrition: chips made from ragi, or finger millet. Ragi is rich in calcium, iron and fibre, so every crunchy bite ends up doing double duty as a nutritious top-up rather than empty calories. Here is how these crispy, tangy ragi chips can be made at home, just like the ones sold in the market.
What you need for ragi chips
The ingredient list is short, and most of it is already sitting in an average kitchen.
- Ragi flour: 1 cup
- Rice flour: ¼ cup
- Wheat flour or refined flour (maida): 2 teaspoons (for binding)
- Oil: 2 small teaspoons, plus as needed for frying
- Carom seeds (ajwain): ½ small teaspoon
- White sesame seeds: 1 small teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- For the spice coating: chaat masala, red chilli powder, and dry mango powder (amchur)
Kneading the dough
Start by combining ragi flour, rice flour, wheat flour, carom seeds, sesame seeds and salt in a large bowl and mixing them well. Add 2 small teaspoons of lukewarm oil and work it into the flour with your hands so the oil is evenly distributed. Then add lukewarm water a little at a time and knead it into a stiff dough, similar in texture to the dough used for puris. Once kneaded, cover the dough and let it rest for around 10 minutes so it sets properly.
Rolling and cutting the chips
After the resting time, divide the dough into small balls. Take one ball and roll it out as thin as possible using dry flour to dust the surface. The thinner the dough is rolled, the crispier the finished chips will turn out, so this step is worth taking slowly. Once rolled, use a fork to prick small holes all over the surface, this stops the chips from puffing up while frying. Then cut the rolled dough into whatever shape is preferred, using a knife or a pizza cutter.
Frying and serving
Heat oil in a kadhai over medium flame and slide the chips in gently. Turn them over repeatedly and fry until they turn crisp. Ragi naturally has a dark colour, so keep a close watch to make sure the chips do not end up burnt, which would leave them tasting bitter. Once fried, lift the chips out and let them cool on a plate. While still warm, a sprinkle of chaat masala, red chilli powder and amchur powder over them adds an extra tangy kick. Once cooled, the crispy ragi chips are ready to be enjoyed, and they can also be stored in an airtight container to be eaten over the following days.
