(Amma Cooks) Kambu Kozhukattai / Steamed Pearl Millet dumplings

Kambu or pearl millet is one of the age old cereals that was consumed by our villagers and one of the many cereals that have died with time, atleast with the urban folks. But time has changed and so has people. That which was avoided by the junkies, has now been re-visted and welcomed with open hands and hungry health-conscious tummies. Clean eating is becoming a ravage now and quinoa, pearl millet, fox millet and many more cereals in that line have found their way into the diet of many.

The tales of appa and amma were mostly entwined with them eating clean healthy food and us eating maggi, cheese and many more. Appa usually describes how their day started with kanji(fermented leftover rice) or kambu koozh and how full and energetic they felt throught the day and even after the day's hard work in the fields. I have heard similar stories from my grandfather too, nothing can beat hearing bed-time stories from your grandfather, with a full tummy, a chilly windy night, with the moon and the stars staring back at you. The star ladden night is a delight to watch at. I miss all those days, days which will never come back...

I can go on and on about my childhood days for pages and so lets stop here. That being said, let me tell you, I am not a clean eater and I can never be one. I eat everything that comes into the market and anything new grabs my attention and I can never sleep until I have tasted it atleast once. But I limit myself to once in a month and not more than that... Okay I know thats not good but in my case my stomach is the devil's workshop, it makes me eat all things nonsense... But it so happens that at times I too feel like eating clean. Not kambu koozh or ragi koozh but as of now I am keeping it to kozhukattais. Its easy and simple to make and makes a great breakfast or tea time snack.

~*What U Need*~ Kambu/Pearl millet - 1 cup Raw rice - 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut - 2 tbsp Jaggery - 1/42 cup Water - 1/4 + 1/4 cup Cardamom powder - a pinch Salt - a pinch

How I Made it:
Soak the pearl millet over night and the rice for 2 hours. Grind the pearl millet and rice together with 1/4 cup water till you get a not-so-coarse paste. Add water to the jaggery and heat till it melts. Strain to remove impurities. Return to the pan and heat till it boils. Add the shredded coconut and cook for 1 min. Next add in the ground paste and cook till the water evaporates or till the mixture forms a thick mass. Cool to room temperature, pinch lemom sized balls out of it squeeze to get your fingerprints all over the dumpling. Steam cook for 10-15 mins until non-sticky.

Serve with some flavored black coffee or karuppatti kaapi.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!