Ragi bread step-by-step recipe with photos.
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About this recipe
Ragi bread is a healthy and delicious bread made with finger millet flour and bread flour. This millet bread slices well and is perfect for sandwiches or toast. The ragi flour not only adds a unique flavour but also adds a lovely colour to the bread. This bread is a great way of starting to include ancient grains in your diet. See more on millets and their health benefits. I have used homemade sprouted ragi flour to make this bread; however, store-bought flour can also be used. I always prefer baking sourdough bread but this one is an exception. We love this bread and love how healthy, delicious, and unique it is.
I have earlier shared how to make ragi banana bread which is sweet and more cake-like. Here is the recipe to make millet bread that is perfect for your breakfast. Read on for ingredients, recipe tips, and step-by-step instructions to make this healthy bread.
Ingredients
Flour: I have used ragi (finger millet) and bread flour in equal quantities.
Milk: I use whole milk as it adds richness to the dough. You can replace it with low-fat milk.
Seeds: I have used a mix of pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Other ingredients: Dry yeast, sugar, salt, and oil.
Step by step instructions
Heat the milk until it is lukewarm. To this, add dry yeast and sugar. Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy (step 1).
Once the yeast-milk mixture is frothy, add salt and ragi. Mix well (steps 2,3).
Add the bread flour and start kneading. Knead the dough well for 5-6 minutes (steps 4,5,6).
Add the seeds to it and knead them in. Brush the bowl with oil and place the dough. Brush the dough with oil. Cover and let it rest for one hour (steps 7,8).
Once the dough is proofed, spread it into a rectangle and roll it into a log. Place in a greased loaf tin and rest for one hour (steps 9,10).
Bake in preheated oven at 170 C for 30-35 minutes (steps 11,12).
Brush the top with butter. Cool it in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack (steps 13,14).
Useful tips to make ragi bread
I am using bread flour along with ragi in this recipe. You can replace bread flour with plain flour or atta (Indian whole wheat flour).
Check the temperature of the milk before adding the yeast. If it is cold, the yeast will not activate and if the milk is too hot, the yeast will die. It has to be lukewarm (about 37 C or 98 F).
Add the ragi flour first and incorporate it well. Add bread flour after that and begin kneading. The dough will be quite soft but not sticky.
Proofing time may vary depending on the temperature. We want the dough to almost double during each proofing. Keep an eye on the dough and go by the feel of the dough rather than time.
Punching the dough after first proofing is important as it removes any air bubbles in the dough. This will help get the right shape of the bread.
Preheat the oven. This step can't be rushed. We want the dough to enter a hot oven so that it bakes perfectly.
It is important to slice the bread only after it cools down completely. This is important to prevent the bread from turning soggy or moist.
This bread is freezer-friendly. You can either store the whole loaf or slice the bread and freeze individual slices. Place the loaf in a freezer-safe bag or wrap individual slices using cling wraps to freeze them. Make sure the bread is cooled completely before slicing and freezing.
FAQs
You can store this bread at room temperature for up to three days. This bread is also freezer-friendly. See the tips section above on how to freeze it.
No. I am using bread flour in this bread and it is not gluten-free.
Bonus
This bread:
- is healthy, nutritious, and filling
- has perfect crumbs
- is great for sandwiches
- has unique and delicious flavours
Recipe card
Ragi Bread
Ingredients
- 220 ml milk (scant one cup)
- 1½ teaspoon dry yeast
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 150 gm ragi flour (1 cup)
- 150 gm bread flour (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoon oil
Instructions
- Heat the milk until it is lukewarm
- To this, add dry yeast and sugar. Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes (until the mixture is frothy)
- Once the yeast-milk mixture is frothy, add salt and ragi. Mix well
- Add the bread flour and start kneading
- Knead the dough well for 5-6 minutes
- Add the seeds to it and knead them in
- Brush the bowl with oil and place the dough. Brush the dough with oil
- Cover and let it rest for one hour
- Once the dough doubles, punch it and knead it again
- Spread it into a rectangle and roll in into a log
- Place in a greased loaf tin and rest for one hour
- Preheat oven at 170 C
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes
- Cool it in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack
- Slice and serve immediately or store in air-tight container
Sudha
Can we use instant dry yeast instead of active yeast??
Healthy recipe. Will try for sure
Shilpa
Hi Sudha, yes you can use instant dry yeast and follow this same recipe. Please do let me know how you go.
- Shilpa
Gordon Streeton
I am type 1 Diabetic
I cannot use ordinary flour or sugar, can I make bread with just Ragi flour. Regards
Shilpa
Hi Gordon, The dough needs gluten to give structure to the bread. You can try to reduce the amount of flour and add more ragi (keeping the total quantity the same), although I have not tested this recipe with lesser bread flour.
Or you can try this recipe (replace sugar with sugar replacements and replace chocolate chips with walnuts): https://spicytamarind.com.au/ragi-banana-bread/ . Hope this helps.