Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Ragi Ambali (Ragi Ganji) is a vegetarian South Indian beverage made with ragi flour, water, and yogurt (curd) in about 25 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Beverage
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ragi flour
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (curd)
  • 1/2 cup water ((to make buttermilk))
  • salt (to taste)
  • 2-3 tablespoons onions (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (finely chopped)

Tempering

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger (minced or grated)
  • 1 stalk curry leaves

Method

  1. Add two tablespoons of ragi flour to ½ cup of water. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps.
  2. In a separate pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil on medium-high heat. Then slowly add the ragi mixture (slurry) to the boiling water.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously, preferably using a whisk, until the mixture thickens. Turn off the stove, remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool.
  4. Prepare Buttermilk: Add 1/2 cup of homemade curd to a jar, along with 1/2 cup of water. Whisk it until it's smooth and frothy. Buttermilk is ready. If you already have store-bought buttermilk skip this step.
  5. Once the ragi ambli has cooled, add the buttermilk and salt to the ragi mixture. Whisk thoroughly until you achieve a smooth consistency.
  6. Prepare Tempering: Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, and let them splutter.
  7. Then add green chili, ginger, and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Keep it aside.
  8. Add the tempering, chopped onions, coriander leaves to the cooked ragi mixture. Mix well.
  9. Before serving, give a quick stir and pour it into glasses. Garnish with chopped onions and coriander leaves, and serve. Enjoy!

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.