Thinai-Murungai-keerai-Urundai

#ThinaiMurungaikeeraiUrundai  #FoxtailMilletDrumstickLeafBall :
Three or four days back I made ghee from butter and as usual finally added drumstick leaves into the simmering hot ghee. Drumstick leaf - Murungai keerai has to be added at the end to get an aromatic ghee. Everyone likes the crispy drumstick leaves fried in ghee and also its aroma. Then I transferred the ghee into a container. Usually I used to make kesari in the vessel in which the ghee was made. But this time I wanted to prepare something different and healthy. Suddenly an idea struck me, and I thought if I include ghee fried crispy murungai keerai to make a sweet urundai then the sweet would be a healthy snack and everybody would consume murungai keerai without any complaints. Then I decided to make the sweet with jaggery. I know from my previous preparations that Thinai and jaggery combination goes well and loved by all. That is why I have decided to prepare a tasty jaggery sweet from thinai and murungai keerai.

 #FoxtailMillet is known as #Thinai [ தினை ] or #thinaiArisi [ தினை அரிசி ] in Tamil. It belongs to minor #Millet.
The botanical name is Seteria italica.

All millet [ kodo, foxtail, finger. proso, pearl and little millets ] are gluten free and show high antioxidant activity.
Foxtail millet may help in controlling blood sugar and cholestrol.
Foxtail millet is a very good source of protein, iron, significant amount of calcium and other minerals.
It is also rich in fiber compared to other cereals.

To know more on Millet :

Millet


Nutrients of Millet

Thinai is sweeter in taste and more suitable for preparing sweet dishes.
#Murungaikeerai [ #DrumstickLeaf or #MoringaLeaf ] is rich in protein [ 9.4 g per 100 g of raw leaves ], 
vitamin A [ 378 ug per 100 g of raw leaves ], 
minerals especially calcium [ 185 mg per 100 g of raw leaves ] and 
iron [ 4 mg per 100 g of raw leaves ]. 
The amount of vitamin A present in murungai keerai is 4 times that of carrot. It doesn't loose much of its nutrients even when the leaves are cooked on high temperature.
After learning about health benefits of foxtail millet  [ thinai ] and murungai keerai  I am sure what I am going to present here would be a healthy sweet snack.

Ingredients :
3/4 cup	Foxtail Millet
1/4 cup	Green gram split
3 - 4	Cardamom
3 - 4	Dates Dried [ Sultana or raisins ]
5 - 6	Cashew nuts
1/3 cup	Murungai keerai
small piece	Nutmeg
1/2 cup	Jaggery
A pinch	Salt
4 - 5 Tsp	Ghee

Method :
Break cashew nuts into small pieces.
Chop dried dates into small pieces.
Pluck murungai keerai from its stem and wash.
Pat dry with a clean & dry cloth.
Set aside.

Heat a kadai on a stove over medium flame.
Dry roast thinai [ foxtail millet ] till it gives out aroma.
Transfer into a plate or bowl and set aside.
Now in the same kadai add split green gram and dry roast till it turns golden brown color.
Transfer into a plate/bowl.
Allow to cool down.
Take roasted thinai, split green gram, cardamom, nutmeg and salt.
Grind into a nice flour using a mixie grinder.
Transfer into a bowl and keep aside.

Heat kadai on stove over a low flame.
Add 1 Tsp of ghee and roast chopped dried dates [ sultanas ] till it turns golden color.
Transfer into bowl containing the flour we made earlier.
In the same kadai add another teaspoon of ghee and roast cashew nuts till it becomes golden color.
Transfer into the same bowl.
Again in the same kadai add 2 teaspoon of ghee and roast murungai keerai on slow fire till the leaves become crisp and brittle.
Take care not to allow the leaves to change its color.
Transfer into the same bowl.
Mix well and allow to cool down.

In the meantime take jaggery in a vessel and add 2 Tbsp water.
Heat on slow flame till it dissolves completely in water.
After dissolving jaggery boil it for 2 minutes and turn off stove.
The jaggery syrup should be thick and no need to check consistency.
Add 3 Tbsp of jaggery syrup into the flour mix and mix well with a long spoon.
Then knead with hand into a soft dough and if required add some more jaggery syrup.
Divide the dough into small portions and make into small urundai [ balls ] after dusting hand with rice flour.
Neatly arrange in a clean and dry container with lid.
Enjoy tasty, healthy and yummy thinai murungaikeerai balls!!!

It can be stored for a week in normal temperature.

You might like to try 

Thinai fruit custard [ Foxtail millet fruit Custard]

Thinai Payasam [ Foxtail illet Payasam

Aval [ Rice flakes ]  Kesari

Sorghum Dosai [ Chola Dosai ]

Brown top  millet bread

For other Thinai [ Foxtail millet ] Recipes

Foxtail Millet - Thinai Recipes 

For other Millet Recipes

Millet Special