Kambu Sadam, also known as Kambu Soru, is a fiber-rich rice meal made from pearl millet . It is a healthy choice to white rice and can be a part of a traditional recipe.
Millet rice | Easy Millet Recipes | Pearl Millet Recipe | How to cook pearl millet | Millets instead of rice | Classic Recipes | Traditional Recipe | Village Recipes | Millet For daily diet | Kambu Soru | Kambu choru | Kambu sadham | Kambu arisi
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What are Millets?
A group of cereals which are mostly tiny in size, round in shape. There are about 6,000 varieties of millet throughout the world in different colors too.
Millets are gluten-free and rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. The bran layers of millets are good sources of B-complex vitamins. Varagu or Kodo millet is a millet variety.
Since the millets are small grains, they are called as Sirudhaniyam, in tamil,literally meaning small grains.
Bajra | Kambhu
Pearl millet is also known as Bajra, Bajri, Sajje, Kambu, or Kambhu. It has been cultivated in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times.
Pearl millet is a resilient crop. It is well-suited to drought, low soil fertility, low moisture, and high temperatures. This allows it to thrive where maize or wheat cannot.
A nutritional powerhouse, it's packed with protein, fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Gluten-free, it's ideal for those with celiac sensitivities and helps manage blood sugar levels, making it suitable for diabetics.
Pearl millet can be used to make hearty porridge. It adds versatility to bread, roti, dosa, and idli. This grain also enhances imaginative salads and soups.
It is one of the high energy foods. That is why our farmers, who grow our food, used to have it for breakfast as porridge. They ate it before heading out to the fields or for lunch as mentioned in this recipe.
Kambu Soru Story
My amma grew up in a village near Vellore called Setharampattu. They had their own farmland and a big house with a granary.
She is used to eating fresh food. Rice, vegetables, fruits or lentils, everything straight from the farm to their plates. Little did she know, such a life would be considered a blessing these days. There is plastic even in the rice we eat, let alone the rest.
Amma knows that i love to experiment with millets for my lunch. So, while we are in Chennai, she cooks a different variety everyday.
I loved this kambhu choru in that variety. The little pearls of well cooked pearl millet, looks very pretty on the plate. It is hearty and of course loaded with health benefits.
Looking for Desserts?
Some Millet Inspirations
We love a good hearty porridge, this mixed millets porridge is my mom's favorite recipe. If love to eat ragi or finger millet, check this ragi savory kanji or a sweet kanji.
If you are trying millets for the first time, I always suggest trying Idly or dosa with them. Then, proceed with this brilliant khichdi.
If idly or dosa which is a fermented batter, is a trouble . Then try this no ferment adai recipe.
We South-Indians love pongal for breakfast. Try this millet savory pongal or sweet pongal. You won't find any difference between rice and millet based ones.
Kambu Soru | Kambu Sadam | Bajra Rice | Millet Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kambhu/Kambu/Bajra/Pearl millet
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups of water
Instructions
- Soak Kambhu/bajra for a minimum of 3-4 hours for easy cooking. You can even quick soak in hot water for an 2 hours prior to cooking.
- Wash the soaked bajra well for 3 or 4 times. In a pressure cooker, take 4 cups of water, let it come to a rolling boil, add salt and the washed bajra to it.
- Let the water begin to boil again, now close the pressure cooker, put the whistle on and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Let the pressure drop on its own.
- The bajra must have well cooked and soft with all the water absorbed. Serve it warm with your regular sambhar/rasam and curd.
- I had it with keerai sambhar and curd for today's lunch. Not to forget the pickle!!! 🙂
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Shobha
Nice.. never tasted it 🙂
Renu
Quick and easy recipe and healthy. Unfortunately we have made meal time complicated when the real benefit is in simple food. Love this and I am going to try this in winters.
Archana
Thanks, I am making this delicious bajra millet "rice". It's perfect for our dietary needs. It will keep us full and help control our blood sugar. Thanks.