Drinks – My Food Edition

Pearl millet porridge (kambu koozh)

April 4, 2020April 5, 2021Posted in Breakfast, DrinksLeave a comment

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.

Badam kheer

February 14, 2020February 14, 2020Posted in Drinks

Badam kheer is a healthy heavenly kheer which is had as a dessert during festive times or on any special occasion. Almonds and cashews are ground finely and allowed to boil in milk, reduced, added saffron for natural colour and aroma. Cardamom added to enhance the flavour. Usually the almonds are soaked and the skin is removed then it is added to the kheer. I made it instantly without removing the skin but it made no difference in taste. Badam kheer is a delicious dessert which can be made in few minutes. You can do variety of kheers like using ground carrots to make carrot kheer. Soaked and cooked sabudana in milk for sabudana kheer. Badam kheer is a crowd pleaser. Do serve the kheer hot or cold as per eachones wish. Do try it for your family and friends and relish it!

PREP TIME : 10 minutes

COOK TIME : 40 minutes

CUISINE : Indian

COURSE : Dessert

YIELD : 10 servings

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED :

Full cream milk – 2 & 1/2 L

Sugar – 400 gm

Saffron – 2 generous pinch

Cashews – 10 no.

Almonds – 150 gm

Nuts of your choice to decorate

METHOD :

Grind almonds and cashews in a mixer jar to a fine powder.

Take milk in a big bowl and allow to boil well.

Stir continuously until it thickens and reduced to half.

Meanwhile take 3tbsp milk and 2generous pinch of saffron and mix well with a spoon until the colour of the milk changes.

Keep this saffron milk aside.

Stir the thickened milk continuously and donot allow cream formation.

In medium flame, add the ground almonds and let it cook for 5 more minutes.

Keep stirring and add in the saffron infused milk .

Next add in the sugar and mix well.

Add the powdered cardamom and give it a boil.

Now the kheer is done.

Add chopped nuts and serve hot or refrigerate it and serve cool.

It tastes good either way.

NOTE :

I have not added any essence if you wish, can add few drops of almond essence.

You can also soak the almonds in warm water for 4 hours or overnight and later remove skin, grind it and add it to milk.

Always add sugar at the end of making any kheer to avoid curdling of milk .

Amla juice

January 24, 2020February 9, 2020Posted in Drinks

Amla (goose berry) is a rich source of vitamin c and amla juice is my all time favorite drink. Amla, ginger and Jaggery are combined to make a healthy tasty drink without any colour, preservatives or chemicals. I stock a bottle of amla juice in my refrigerator. After my workout, I feel refreshed with this drink. I am a person with good immunity. Amla drink on a regular basis keeps me away from cold and cough. Do try this for your kids to develop immunity. Best drink with nutrients which can easily made at home. Amla drink a day keeps your doctor away !

⏲️PREP TIME : 25 minutes

⏲️COOK TIME : 5 minutes

🥤CUISINE : Indian

🍹COURSE : Beverage

🍹YIELD : 6 servings

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED :

Amla – 7 no.

Ginger – 1 inch

Jaggery syrup – 125 ml

METHOD :

In a mixer jar add chopped amla, ginger and blend.