Kambu is known as Bajra in Hindi and Pearl millet in English, it is one which grown widely among millets. In olden days it was consumed frequently by our ancestors, but now as life has been mechanical and we changed ourselves as machines, and started eating which could be prepared in minutes and forget about the health benefits and when I talk about this most of them ask me only we feed pearl millet for hen J.

I have tasted kambu rice/pearl millet rice from one my relative, who prepares very often in their home. But only it’s me and my grandfa who had it, none other than us even tasted it. This is my second try with pearl millet and do not ask about the first one it was big flop (pearl millet) but soon will try it out.

Health benefits of kambu/bajra/pearl millet: It’s good for diabetics, helps in weight loss, because of its high fibre content it helps in treating constipation and also it one among the best coolant which is good for treating acidity and perfect for peak summer when taken a porridge along with curd.

This suits well for all ages and I wanted my kids to have this, so the only key to make kids eat is sweet and so I started with Kambu Laddu / Pearl millet Laddu. Let us move on to the recipe…

Kambu / Bajra / Pearl Millet Laddu

Ingredients:

• Kambu / Pearl Millet – 2 cup
• Jaggery – 1 ½ cup
• Ginger powder – 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Ghee/Clarified Butter – 3 tbsp
• Cashew nuts – 12 nos
• Salt – a pinch

Dry roasted kambu/pearl millet/bajra to be ground

Kambu flour

Getting sieved

Cashew nuts getting roasted in ghee/clarified butter

Flour with ginger, salt and cardamom powder

With jaggery syrup, ghee and roasted cashew nuts

Kambu / Bajra / Pearl Millet Laddu

Kambu / Bajra / Pearl Millet Laddu

Preparation:

• Dry roast kambu/pearl millet in medium flame for about 5-10 mins or until the aroma comes out or until you get pooping sound of kambu/pearl. Transfer it to a plate and bring it to room temperature.
• Jaggery syrup: Crush the coconut jaggery/vellam and take it in a pan with water (to dissolve the jaggery), keep in medium flame, until it comes to syrup consistency. Filter it and keep it aside.
• Powder the roasted kambu in a mixier for about 5 -10 mins to fine powder, sieve the powder.
• Again powder the leftover once granules in the mixier for 5 mins and sieve it.
• Transfer the sieved flour to a wide mouth bowl.
• Heat ghee/clarified butter in a kadai, add in the cashew nuts, and roast until they turn golden brown.
• Add in the ginger powder, cardamom powder, a pinch of salt, ¼ cup of jaggery syrup, ghee along with few pieces of cashew nuts.
• Mix it well with a wooden spoon and make small balls by keeping a cashew nut on the top of the flour. Press the flour tightly with your hand, so that the balls would not break.
• Follow the same procedure for whole flour mixture and make laddus.

Store in an air-tight will stay fresh for a week time.

Note: you and adjust the quantity of jaggery syrup, ginger powder and cardamom powder as per your taste.