Kambu koozh

Kambu - pearl millet / bajra  , koozh - a simple porridge served as main course meal.
Though I belong to  a south Indian small town, I actually started liking this kambu koozh after tasting it in Chennai only. Hubby dear introduced me this yummy koozh near koyambedu market and I totally enjoyed drinking that koozh out of an earthen vessel:) After drinking this koozh or the spicy buttermilk in a summer, we won't feel the heat....this koozh is one of the natural cooling foods prepared in Tamilnadu during summer. Preparing the kambu koozh at home is not only easy but also a beautiful process. Afterwards I learned that this simple dish invented by our ancestors is a probiotic rich food and it would be more delicious if made at home. I am noting down both the traditional and simple recipes I use. Try this and enjoy a cool summer.

Ingredients:
Whole kambu grain - 2 cups

Kambu koozh

kambu  balls soaked in water overnight.

kambu saatham made into balls.

Cooking the pearl millet / kambu grains.

Method 1:
Rinse the pearl millet grains in water  twice or thrice and drain water completely. Spread it on a plate or kitchen towel and dry for 30 minutes.
Dry grind the pearl millet in an Indian mixie to a fine to coarse texture.
(Many years back this grinding step was used to be done in a hand mortar - ural , ulakkai )
Sieve and remove any husk. (While the husk goes to the cattle, the millet becomes the meal of the family:)
Heat 5 cups of water in a vessel with 1 tsp salt and add the powdered kambu.
Cook till it gets soft (nearly 20 minutes). Switch off and let the millet absorb all the water.
This is called kambu saatham (kambu rice meal), which can be served with any spicy curry.
The remaining kambu saatham should be made into small balls of palm size. Put these kambu balls in an earthen vessel or any vessel and pour enough water to stand above the balls. 

Serving suggestion:
For one glass of kambu koozh: The next morning, take a ball of kambu, along with a 1/2 cup of soaked water. Mash it gently and add 1/2 cup curd or buttermilk. Garnish with finely chopped shallot onion, green chillies (optional), curry leaves, cumin.  Serve as breakfast or refreshing drink.

Note:
Always keep the kambu balls well immersed in water.
This kambu balls soaked in water can stay up to 2 days in countertop at room temperature.

Method 2:
readymade kambu flour - 1 cup
Mix 1 cup of pearl millet flour with 2 cups of water and add 1/2 tsp salt.
Bring this to a boil in a medium heat and stir continuously .
After it gets cooked completely (5 minutes), add enough water to cover the porridge and let it sit overnight.
Then next morning scoop a laddle of cooked flour along with some water above. Mix with curd or buttermilk and serve with onion.
This is one of the easiest versions of kambu koozh.

Try both traditional and easy koozh and let me know how you liked it.