Kammangcoozh: A Cool Drink to Deal Summer

Let me help spell it. It is "கம்மங்கூழ்"-"Kammang" + "Cool", but the "L" here should be pronounced by folding the tongue inwards to touch the palate as far as you can. It is a tongue twister that adds beauty to "Tamizh" and "Malayalam" languages. Kambu ( in Tamil) is called "Pearl Millet" in English and Bajri in Hindi. I cherished eating kambu as a child for breakfast, and this continued after coming to the US too. I replaced cornmeals and oatmeals for breakfast, and kambu took an irreplaceable place in my breakfast menu during summer. This dish captures those unforgettable moments of my childhood. Where do I get this? I get it shipped from India. I usually get 5-7 Kgs shipped per summer, and since it is only me who consumes this for breakfast, it lasts the whole summer. As a child, I drank quite a good quantity of this thick drink for breakfast accompanied with mild pickle or shallots. It is believed to cool the body to resist summer heat, and needless to say, it is nutritious! I had this every day during both my pregnancies because this was one dish that did not make me retch upon.



Ingredients:

Pearl Millet - 1 cup
Water - three cups
Whole-milk yogurt or buttermilk (if you are fat conscious) - Five tbsps and 10 Oz, respectively.
Salt to taste
  • Take 1 cup of pearl millet grains, wash thoroughly in water, drain and spread it on white muslin cloth. I usually do this in the mornings, so the grains are dry and ready-to-go in the evening.
  • Cook this dish usually before dinner and will tell you why, in a while.
  • Give the dry grains a whirl in the blender. They should be broken, but not powdered.
  • Warm up water in a pressure cooker, and when it is about to boil, add the whirled-content slowly to avoid clumps.
  • After you add all of them, keep stirring until bubbles surface the mixture.
  • Close the cooker, and wait for three whistles. Take it immediately off the stove. Allow it to cool. Keep it open after the pressure came down.
  • When it is slightly warm, add a pitcher full of cold water to it and cover it overnight. The cooked mixture should be immersed in water.
  • Usually, if this procedure is done before dinner, you don't have to wait for it to cool down.
  • The next morning, take the portion you ought to consume, add yogurt and salt to taste, and mix well with hands. Add water to make it up to desired consistency. Either mild pickle or shallot is preferred for accompaniment.
A healthy, heavy and nutritious mixture in your tummy, early in the morning makes your day wonderful!

Why am I suggesting this dish considering its unavailability in stores here? I have seen this in Indian stores and in whole foods. It is not common here though, but a worthy try for the recipe explorers! I have a special bond to this dish, and it rekindles the memories of my childhood days.






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