Kadambu

Kadambu is something I associate my native place with. This is one of the most common breakfast items there. A few years back on a trip to Coorg I had it there too, it was served for breakfast by the hostess at the homestay we stayed, then again I had it in a resort at Sakhleshpur. That is when I realized it is made in these parts too. However there was one key difference rather two, we always make it with red rice whereas both in Coorg and Sakhleshpur I saw it was made with white rice. Secondly the shape I have almost always seen it being made in, is that of a cup or an elongated shape with a slight depression, where both in Coory and Sakhleshpur it was in a rounded ball shape. And yes most importantly they refer to it as ‘Kadambuttu’ whereas my side it is called ‘Kadambu’.

The recipe is a bit tedious if you use the mixer to grind the rice, but the end result is worth it.

It is generally had in two ways – one it is generally paired with the left over curry from the previous night or is it lightly crushed and mixed with fresh coconut and sugar and savoured.

Ingredients

2 cups red boiled rice,

1.5 to 2 cups fresh grated coconut,

Salt to taste

Method

Check the red boiled rice for any stones or impurities. Wash it well and soak in room temperature water for about 5-6 hours. Since we generally make this for breakfast, we soak it overnight.

After it is soaked, drain the water and grind this together with coconut to a coarse paste. You may need to add some water but add as little at possible. Remember the paste has to be coarse something like broken wheat or idli rava. Once it is ground, add salt to taste and mix well.

Shape this into oblong shapes or spheres. In fact you can shape it as you wish.

Line this in your steamer and steam for about 15-20 minutes.

This goes best with any coconut-based curry. It would also go with coconut chutney. If you prefer to have it sweet, you can just roughly crumble it and have it mixed with some more coconut and sugar.