Ragi Koozhu

In this part of Tamil Nadu, Ragi is most popularly used in a preparation called Koozhu, which is a fermented porridge dish, drunk cold with salt, Chili and Onion and even raw mango.This is traditional farmer’s food!

Koozhu is cooling for the body, and is served on the side of the road all over Tamil Nadu especially during the summer months

Admittedly, for the uninitiated, Koozhu can be challenging in the beginning, as it is an acquired taste. But actually it is delicious and indeed surprisingly refreshing!

When you see the old farmers in the fields, in their loincloths, 90 years old and still working, you can be quite certain that they themselves attribute their good health to Ragi.

The preparation:

(Ragi Koozhu is both gluten-free & diabetic-friendly.)

• Mix 1 cup of Ragi flour and ½ cup broken pearl millet in 6 cups of water until all lumps are gone; let it rest overnight.
• This mix would have soured a bit by the next morning.
• Boil the mix for ½ an hour, stir regularly.
• You know it’s ready, when it doesn’t stick to your finger.
• Let the mix cool down, usually until the next day, and traditionally, with the hand we scoop out a handful and mix it together with water,salt,Curd or buttermilk until homogenous.
• Serve in tumblers with Shallots (Sambar Vengayam) / Green Chilies / Mango Pickles.

Ragi Koozh is also made and served as a Prasatham (meaning ‘sacred food’) in many Mariamman temples during the Aadi month of the Tamil calendar, which falls from mid July to mid August.