Pearl millet/ bajra /kambu porridge is one that is been consumed by farmers.It is nutritious and a comfort food and gives great energy to work throughout the day in fields in hot sun. South Indians followed and started having them during summer. Making the porridge is so simple and easy. Broken bajra is available in markets if not whole bajra can be pulsed in mixer jar and used. Here, I have followed easy pressure cooker method. You can also slow cook it by adding the broken bajra into boiling water and keep stirring it in medium flame until bajra is cooked and water is absorbed.
Cooked bajra is made into balls and immersed in water and refrigerated. Whenever needed according to requirement it can be dissolved in water, add curd and salt and serve. Excess can also be refrigerated. Next day the porridge ferments and tastes awesome. Naturally fermented foods are good for gut health.
Usually pearl millet porridge is served with shallots and chillies. My mom used to fry the green chillies in coconut oil with salt drizzled. I tried it with raw mango chammandi ( thogayal/ chutney) and it was heavenly. Raw mango chutney (recipe updated below) goes well with rice gruel too. My hubby likes gruel with mango pickle. Kids love it with fried chillies.
Do try it during hot summer for your family and stay healthy.
⏲️PREP TIME : 15 minutes
⏲️COOK TIME : 15 minutes
🥘CUISINE : Indian
🍲COURSE : Breakfast
🥛YIELD : 4 servings
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED :
Pearl millet (broken) – 2 & 1/2 cup
Salt as required
Water – 6 cups
Curd (beaten) – 1 cup
METHOD :
In a pressure cooker take broken bajra 2 & 1/2 cup and add 6 cups water.
Give 2 whistles.
Once cooked, allow it to come to room temperature and then make balls.
In a bowl of drinking water drop the cooked bajra balls.
Refrigerate the bowl with balls immersed in water.
Next day take out the bowl from refrigerator and mash it.
Use the water in which it was immersed.
Add in the beaten curd.
Mix well without lumps and add salt .
If required add extra water for the porridge consistency.
Once the porridge is mixed, serve it in tall glasses with fried or raw chillies and shallots.
Mango Thogayal (chutney) :
Raw mango – 2 slices
Coconut scrapping – 3tsp
Shallots – 4 no.
Green chillies – 3 no.
Ginger – 1/2 inch
Curry leaves few
Salt as required.
Blend the above ingredients in a mixer jar without adding water to a fine paste.
Chutney is done.
NOTE :
Left over porridge can be refrigerated. It ferments and tastes better next day.
The bajra balls can be taken and used as per your requirement. Remaining balls immersed in water can be refrigerated and used whenever needed.
In refrigerator the balls in water stays good for 4 to 5 days.
My Food Edition 