Browntop Millet Ambali (Andu Korralu / Korale Ambali)
Browntop nearly vanished from Indian fields before growers brought it back, which makes it the hardest of the Siridhanya millets to find today. That scarcity is reason enough to try it as ambali, where its mild, faintly nutty flavor comes through clearly. Give it a good soak and a slow cook so the grains break down, sour them overnight, and serve cool with buttermilk and salt. Kannada calls it korale; in Telugu it is andu korralu.
Prep Time
6-8 hr soak + overnight ferment
Cook Time
25 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- Browntop millet (andu korralu) — 1/2 cup (95 g)
- Water — 5 cups, plus extra to loosen
- Buttermilk (or thin curd) — 1 cup
- Salt — to taste (add at serving)
- Small onion, finely chopped — 1 (for serving)(optional)
- Curry leaves — 1 sprig (for serving)(optional)
- Green chili, finely chopped — 1 (for serving)(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the browntop millet and soak it for 6 to 8 hours, ideally through the day so you can cook in the evening.
- 2
Drain, add to 5 cups of fresh water, and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes until the grains are very soft.
- 3
Cool to room temperature and transfer to a clay pot or glass jar, with no salt added.
- 4
Cover loosely with a cloth and ferment overnight, 8 to 10 hours, until gently sour.
- 5
In the morning, mash the grains and whisk in the buttermilk and enough cold water to loosen it to a drink.
- 6
Season with salt and finish with onion, curry leaves and green chili if using.
- 7
Serve cool, never reheated.
Tips
- •Browntop is firm, so give it the full soak and a slow cook until it breaks down.
- •Look for unpolished browntop for the truest flavor and the best fermentation.
- •Because browntop is hard to find, one batch of ambali stretches the grain across four cooling servings.