Don't just use Rajgira flour to make parathas because the ingredient can be a terrific baking agent. Also known as amaranth flour, it is made of a Mexican-origin grain that is known by many names such Ramdana or Kingseed and is widely grown in India. As compared to wheat, the seed has twice the amount of minerals and it has almost as much protein as cheese.
Rajgira flour is considered a staple for vrat-friendly foods in India and is used during festive weeks. Its mildly sweet taste profile makes it a great baking ingredient. For making cakes, bread or seed-based bakes amaranth flour can be ideal since it offers a natural nuttiness and is also a substitute for maida or barley flour. Moreover, the flour delivers a crumbly texture to your baked items so pound cake and fruit cake recipes can benefit from this flour. If you've just started using Rajgira flour, you need these tips.
It Goes Great With Chocolate
Though it can replace any flour, amaranth is denser than maida. Using it on its own can be tricky for some baked recipes. A good way to use it is to mix it with all-purpose flour; in most cases, amaranth flour can substitute white flour by 40 per cent. It has an earthy taste which accents the nuttiness, so it's best used for savoury baked items or recipes that are not too overly sweet.
Consider A Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Pro bakers recommend using one part Amaranth flour to four parts wheat flour. For gluten-free recipes, bakers often recommend mixing Rajgira flour with almond and chickpea flour or even flaxseed flour to balance the taste, Remember to be cautious about using leavening agents while you’re using this flour since it absorbs a lot of liquid and may make your recipe too dense. Use more than one leavening agent if you’re only using this flour in your recipe.
They Are Ideal For Fruit And Nut Cakes
Rajgira flour works best in fruit cakes because they're normally denser than other baked goods. One of the most famous Amaranth dishes is a Mexican number called barra de alegrías which is similar to a honey-topped rice-crispy, dressed in nuts, dried fruit, amaranth and other seeds. Fruit cakes, loaded with dried fruits and nuts can be made solely with amaranth flour and do not need any other flour, since they're meant to be naturally dense., Not to mention, the amaranth's nuttiness can work wonders for its flavours.