1,100 to 1,200 ragi balls can be prepared in a vessel at a time

Mysuru: Srirangapatna-based MK Agro Tech Private Ltd., owned by Masoom Groups, has donated two huge vessels and a ladle to make Ragi Balls (Ragi Mudde) to inmates of Mysuru Central Jail.

Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager R. Ashfiq Ahammed handed over these vessels to Mysuru Central Jail Superintendent P.V. Anand Reddy at his Office in city on Friday. The Jail authorities have issued the receipt to the company after receiving the same.

Ragi Mudde is a traditional food largely consumed in South Karnataka and a few other parts of South India. Ragi is considered a “wonder food” because of its low Glycemic index and nutrients like calcium, iron, and dietary fibre. From small children to the elderly, ragi is considered one of the best foods.

The traditional method involves cooking ragi powder in hot water and stirring it with a wooden stick. This traditional method is practised in household level from time immemorial.

Nearly 1,100-1,200 ragi balls can be prepared from one vessel. There are 1,600 inmates including women in Mysuru Central Jail. The Central Prisons, Mysuru, has a history of more than 157 years. It has 40 barracks including two exclusively for women convicts and undertrials. It was built in the year 1862 and is spread on a 21-acre land on Ashoka Road with a built-up area of 10 acres. Inmates are served with Ragi balls twice a day.

It may be recalled here that Central Food and Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) was in news for inventing Ragi Mudde (Finger Millet Ball) making machine without much human intervention. CFTRI had invented the machine as mudde was gaining popularity and was being served in big restaurants, hotels because of its properties.

Each machine costs between Rs.3 lakh and Rs.3.5 lakh. It is a fully automated machine and  no man power is required. It is 6 ft. in height and 3 ft. wide and can fit into any nook of a big hotel kitchen or a factory canteen.