Kambu in English is pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), written கம்பு in Tamil. In Hindi it is bajra. It is a grey-green, round grain, larger than most millets, and in Tamil Nadu it is best known as kambu koozh, the fermented summer drink, and as kambu dosa and kambu adai.
Kambu is usually cracked into rava or ground into flour rather than cooked whole like rice, because the whole grain is firm.
What is kambu like to eat?
Kambu has a nutty, slightly earthy taste. It is a whole grain with its bran intact and naturally contains some fat, which gives it its flavour. Tamil households have long drunk kambu koozh with buttermilk and small onions on hot afternoons, as a cooling drink.
That is the honest version: it is a good grain to swap in for some of your white rice, not a medicine. If you are managing a health condition, talk to your doctor or dietitian before changing your diet. Start with one millet meal a day and drink enough water; a sudden switch to millets at every meal is the most common reason people say millets "don't suit" them.
Other common names are on our Tamil grocery names in English page.
How to cook kambu
For kambu koozh (traditional):
- Wash 1 cup kambu, soak 6 to 8 hours, drain and coarsely grind (or use kambu rava).
- Cook in 4 cups water on a low flame, stirring, for 20 to 25 minutes until thick.
- Cool, cover and leave overnight to ferment lightly.
- Next day, mix a portion with buttermilk, salt and chopped small onions.
For whole kambu, rice-style: soak 6 to 8 hours, then pressure cook 1 cup kambu with 3 cups water for 5 to 6 whistles.
Easy kambu recipes
- Kambu dosa: grind soaked kambu with a little urad dal and ferment like idli batter.
- Kambu adai or rotti: mix kambu flour with onion, curry leaves and green chilli, and pat thin on a tawa.
- Kambu upma or kichadi: use kambu rava like sooji, with 3 cups water to 1 cup rava.
- Kambu ladoo: roasted kambu flour with jaggery and ghee.
Short on time? Kambu Sevai (180g, ₹40) steams in minutes, Pearl Millet (Kambu) Flakes work like aval, and Kambu Ladoo (200g, ₹160) is a ready snack. Our Thinai Wellness Combo includes a kambu koozh mix.
How to buy good kambu
- Look for even, grey-green grain with no dust, stones or insect holes.
- Buy whole grain, not old flour. Because kambu contains natural oils, its flour turns bitter within a few weeks. Grind small batches, or buy fresh flour and use it quickly.
- Store whole kambu airtight in a cool, dry place; flour in the fridge.
Buy Thinai Pearl Millet (Kambu) 500g for ₹80, or browse all our unpolished millets and millet sevai and noodles. Buying in Tamil Nadu? See Where to Buy Millets in Chennai.
Frequently asked questions
What is kambu called in English?
Pearl millet. In Hindi it is bajra, in Telugu sajjalu, and in Kannada sajje.
Is kambu the same as ragi?
No. Ragi (kezhvaragu) is finger millet, a smaller reddish-brown grain. Kambu is grey-green and larger.
Why does kambu flour taste bitter?
Kambu contains natural oils that go rancid in ground flour over a few weeks. Use flour fresh, or grind small batches.
Is kambu koozh fermented?
Traditionally, yes. The cooked kambu is left overnight before it is mixed with buttermilk, which gives it its slight sourness.
Can I cook kambu like rice?
You can, but it needs a long soak and more cooking time than other millets. Most Tamil recipes use kambu as rava, flour or koozh.