Eggless Ragi Banana Pancakes
A wholesome Indian recipe crafted for health-conscious eating: nutritious, delicious, and easy to make at home.
These eggless ragi banana pancakes are DietGhar's millet twist on the classic stack. Finger millet (ragi) brings calcium, iron and slow-releasing fibre to the plate, while ripe banana and a spoon of jaggery keep them naturally sweet without refined sugar. There are no eggs, no maida and no baking soda overload, yet the pancakes still puff up soft and tender.
They are mixed in one bowl, cooked in minutes and taste just as good on a weekday morning as they do on a lazy Sunday. Serve them with curd, fruit or a thin drizzle of honey and you have a balanced Indian breakfast that keeps you full till lunch.
Ingredients
How to Make It
Dry roast the oats in a wide pan on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until they smell nutty. Cool completely, then grind to a coarse powder. You can grind a bigger batch and store it in an airtight jar.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe banana with a fork until no big lumps remain. Add the curd, milk and jaggery powder, and whisk until the mixture looks smooth and slightly frothy.
Add the ragi flour, ground oats, baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon and salt to the wet mixture.
Fold gently with a whisk or spatula until just combined. Do not beat hard, or the pancakes will turn dense. A few small lumps are fine.
Check the consistency: the batter should ribbon off the whisk and spread on its own when poured. If it feels thick, loosen it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk at a time.
Rest the batter for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a heavy non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-low and brush it lightly with ghee.
Pour a ladle of batter from a height in one spot. Do not spread it with the ladle; let it settle into a round on its own.
Cook on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look set and small bubbles appear on the surface.
Flip gently with a thin spatula and cook the second side for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
Wipe the pan, brush a little more ghee and repeat with the remaining batter. Keep the cooked pancakes warm under a clean cloth.
Stack the pancakes on plates, top with banana slices, berries and slivered almonds, and serve warm with curd or a light drizzle of honey.
Nutrition per serving
* Approximate values per serving
Health Benefits
Ragi is one of the richest plant sources of calcium and also supplies iron and dietary fibre, which supports bone health and steady energy levels. Because ragi and oats are low on the glycaemic scale, these pancakes release glucose slowly and help avoid the mid-morning energy crash that refined-flour pancakes often cause.
The combination of fibre from millets and oats with protein from curd and milk makes this a satisfying breakfast for women managing PCOS, insulin resistance or a weight-loss plan. Banana adds potassium and natural sweetness, so you need very little added sugar. Using ghee instead of refined oil keeps the fat profile clean and helps absorb the fat-soluble nutrients from the millets.
Pro Tips
- →Use a banana that is fully ripe with brown spots; it sweetens the batter and keeps the pancakes moist.
- →Ragi absorbs more liquid than wheat flour, so always keep 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra milk handy to adjust the batter.
- →Cook only on medium-low heat. High heat browns the outside before the centre cooks, leaving a raw taste.
- →Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before cooking; the oats and ragi hydrate and give a softer pancake.
- →For a fluffier stack, bring the curd and milk to room temperature before mixing.
- →If you are packing these for a lunchbox, cool them completely, stack with butter paper in between and reheat in a tawa just before serving.
Variations
- 1Replace ragi with 3/4 cup of foxtail millet (kangni) flour for a lighter-coloured pancake.
- 2Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and a few dark chocolate chips to make a chocolate ragi pancake for kids.
- 3Stir in 2 tablespoons of grated carrot, beetroot or mashed sweet potato for extra colour and micronutrients.
- 4For a vegan version, use coconut curd and almond milk, and cook in coconut oil instead of ghee.
- 5Skip jaggery and add 1 teaspoon of date syrup only if needed for a diabetic-friendly plate.
- 6Add 1 tablespoon of roasted flaxseed powder for an extra omega-3 and fibre boost.
Frequently Asked Questions
You Might Also Like
Get a Personalised Diet Plan
4.9★ on Google • 7,000+ clients helped
