Kambu Saadham & Kambu Koolz | Bajra ‘rice’ & Porridge

Some dishes are slowly and silently disappearing from our table. In a few years time maybe no one will even recollect them! The millets that were once the backbone of a meal are no where to be seen. It does pop up here and there occasionally but not always.

I am a great fan of the Kongunad Cuisine.I have many recipes from this cuisine , one of the reasons being, this being my home town.

A few years back I was talking to an elderly women who is a native of Kongunad. When the conversation turned towards food, she happily shared the various dishes that are famous here. Then she said casually, ‘ Idli dosai ellam pongal dipavali ku than‘! What she meant was the regualr breakfasts like Idli and dosa were prepared only on festive days like Pongal and Deepavali! I was really speechless.

Then I asked her what they would have for breakfast on the other days. She proudly replied – ‘ Kambu sadham, Ragi Kali, Kambu koolz‘. [Bajra ‘rice’ , Finger millet porridge, Bajra porridge]

So these are some of the dishes that are around here for a long, log time and they are really being replaced by other stuffs most of which are not so healthy.

Now is the time to revive these healthy dishes and it seems so apt now. Today being Ugadhi , it feels right to start the New Year with a healthy note and even more so since we are doing the Blogging Marathon this week with the theme – Traditional Dishes…

Bajra or Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum] has loads of health benefits .

• It is a gluten free grain and most suited for people with Celiac Disease.
•  It is a power house of Vitamin and Minerals. 
• Since it is easy to digest, it not cause any allergic reactions.
• It is rich in fibre.

Kambu Sadham / Kamban Choru / Cooked Bajra or Bajra ‘rice’ is the first recipe coming up. This is usually had with raw pearl onions, green chillies and Pacha payaru kadaiyal – Kongunad style mashed green gram curry.

Serving size – Hearty meal for one or light meal for two adults

I used:

The next recipe is the Kambu Koolz or the Bajra Porridge.…

This is a very simple and easy recipe and can be made from the previous recipe itself. Take a look at the porridge before I go into some details….

While the previous recipe- kambu saadham, is not so popular, this porridge is easily available.Yes, there are several push carts that sell this porridge along with the ragi porridge. Especially in summer one can see several of these carts on lining the busy roads.

There is a huge crowd around each of these carts and since the porridge is both cheap and filling, it is a favorite and many.

If you have missed that  ragi porridge post, here is what the push cart selling porridge looks like…

The usual side dishes are…

When I prepared this and had it along with a small pearl onion, the sharp taste of the onion was mellowed by the porridge. I loved it and I never imagined that it would taste so good!!All these side dishes suited the porridge perfectly!

MIL agreed that the porridge tasted great and that this should become a regular dish for breakfast / lunch this summer…

To make this porridge you need

Kambu sadham / cooked bajra from the above recipe
Thin buttermilk – 3 -4 cups
Chopped coriander-a handful
Salt to taste

• Take cooked bajra in a big bowl. 
• Mix in the buttermilk and see to that there are no lumps.
• Add the coriander leaves and salt to taste
• Mix well and serve as such or with one of the above side dishes.

Coriander leaves lend a delicious flavor to the porridge. So try not to skip it…

Take a look at the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Bon Appetit…