Kamaleya Organics – Welcome To The World of Millets!

Low glycemic index, high fiber content, protein rich and full of essential minerals. Yes, we all know how beneficial millets are. But, do we consume them enough? If you answered this question with a no, here’s a tasty solution.

As a part of our series, Curated by Mishry, we ordered millet-based products from Kamaleya. From millet based instant noodles to millet poha (aval), rava (suji) and pancake and dosa mixes, they have it all. Below is our detailed review of the products we ordered, how to use them and which ones are worth going back for.

Here is all that you need to know about Kamaleya. We discuss everything from their journey, brand’s mission and vision, products covered and operation.

Founder

Kamaleya was founded by Sakthi Karunambigai in March 2020.

Kamaleya’s Journey

When asked about the brand’s journey, they said “We started out as a small ecommerce brand. We have grown so much with a supportive customer base, and gained our visibility through social media presence. It was a great journey working as a team to provide healthy products and as we hoped we worked towards serving the best to our customers.”

Brand Mission & Vision

“The mission of our brand is to provide a healthy lifestyle to all at an affordable cost. We also aim to bring our traditional foods such as millets and herbs to our daily routine. We support local farmers and it is a women’s initiative.”

Products Covered

Kamalaeya specialises in millet-based products including – 

• Instant noodles – Ragi noodles, Oats noodles, Kodo millet noodles, Bajra noodles, Little millet noodles, Barnyard millet noodles, Multi millet noodles
• Millet Poha/Aval – Bajra millet, Kodo millet, Ragi millet, Little millet, Barnyard millet
• Millet Rava – Bajra millet rava, Kodo millet rava, Ragi millet rava, Little millet, Jowar millet rava
• Healthy soup mixes using ingredients like Moringa, Avarampoo, Fenugreek and Kollu.
• Dosa mix – Multi Millet Dosa Mix, Avarampoo Dosa Mix with Cashew And Badam, Rava Dosa With Cashew and Badam, Ragi Dosa Mix.
• Jaggery powder
• Desi cow ghee
• Multi Millet pancake mix
• Rice podi

Operation

Kamaleya delivers across all cities in India. They also deliver internationally, so check the pincode to see if your area is serviceable.

This section discusses the details of our order, how much we paid for it and packaging details.

What we ordered

We ordered the following – 

• Instant Millet Noodles (Family Pack of 5) – This included a single pack of Multi Millet Noodles, Bajra Noodles, Barnyard Millet Noodles, Little Millet Noodles, and Kodo millet Noodles.
• Millet Poha – Kodo Millet Poha/Aval
• Millet Rava – Bajra Rava 
• Millet Dosa – Multi Millet dosa mix

How much did we pay for it?

We paid a total of Rs 571.20/- for this order. All orders above Rs 500/- are eligible for cash on delivery. Shipping is free for orders above Rs 500/-.

• Instant millet noodles pack – Rs 280/-
• Bajra Rava – Rs 70/-
• Kodo Poha – Rs 70/-
• Multi Millet Dosa Mix – Rs 90/-
• As our order was above Rs 500/-, shipping was free.
• Taxes – Rs 61.20/-

Packaging – The packaging is fairly simple. All the instant noodles come in a plastic pouch pack which is not resealable. The poha and rava come in a different style of packaging.

Storage instructions – The storage instructions for all the products are different. Check the individual product review to know more.

Poha is usually made of flattened rice. We ordered the poha/aval made using kodo millet from Kamaleya. Kamaleya’s Kodo Poha comes in a brown pouch pack which is resealable.

What is Kodo millet? Kodo (Kodra) millet or varagu rice are low on the glycemic index and can help control blood sugar levels. Not only that, kodo millet is a rich source of fiber, antioxidants and magnesium.

How did we make it? Just like a regular poha, we washed the Kodo Poha under water and drained out all the excess water. We tossed the poha in hot oil, mustard seeds, onions, carrots, and peanuts. To season the poha we did not use a lot of masalas. We only added some salt and turmeric. 

We advise you to not soak the poha for a longer duration.

The poha fluffed up very nicely when we washed it. The taste of the millet poha is very earthy and tastes nice. We liked that the poha was able to take on the flavor of the seasoning nicely.

What is bajra? Bajra or pearl millet is small in size, has a brownish-gray color and is used widely in India to be consumed in the form of rotis and khichdi. It is even used as bird fodder.

How is this rava different? Suji/rava is made using durum wheat which is not gluten free. The bajra rava by Kamaleya is gluten free and made using non-gmo ingredients.

The uncooked bajra has a grey-beige color and has a free flowing consistency. The grains are not clumpy. The rava is vacuum packed which helps maintain the texture during transportation.

How did we use this? We made a simple vegetable upma using the bajra rava. In a hot pan we added olive oil, mustard seeds, soaked chana dal, cashews, onions, carrots, and curry leaves. We roasted the rava for about 2-3 minutes before adding the water. We used 1 cup of bajra rava and 2 cups of water.

The upma cooked very well, was moist, and had a slightly coarse texture which is a characteristic of pearl millet. Bajra, as a millet, is coarser and drier so it needed a little bit extra water than our average semolina based suji. We liked the nutty and earthy flavor and aroma of the upma.

Whose is it for? For people who are gluten intolerant or are just avoiding gluten would find this to be a beneficial product. This can be used to make a millet khichdi or halwa as well. It can also be used to make sweet or savoury porridge.

Millet based dosas are usually thicker and coarser than our usual rice/dal dosas. The multi millet dosa mix from Kamaleta has a mix of three millets – bajra (pearl millet), ragi (finger millet) and samvat (barnyard millet). It also contains moth bean (Naripayaru), urad dal, and rice.

How did we make it? We made the dosa batter using ½ cup dosa mix and ½ cup curd and water, as instructed. We added more water to adjust the consistency. When we made the dosa as per their instructions, we felt that the dosa had low spreadability and was thicker. On the other hand when we added some extra water, the spreadability was much easier. Cooking a multi millet dosa takes a bit longer than a regular dosa. We used ghee to cook these as it adds a layer of flavor.

Taste wise, it is seasoned to perfection and you won’t have to add any salt. The dosa has a fresh, nutty flavor. The dosa is so tasty on its own that you don’t even need sambar, but could use accompaniments like podi, coconut chutney, peanut tomato chutney or even a spicy thokku. These fibre rich dosas can be a nice replacement for your regular rotis, when you want a little change from the daily monotony, and also for when you don’t want to eat sambar/chutney. 

When you think instant noodles, millets are not something that crop up in your head. Kamaleya brings a range of millet based instant noodles that can be enjoyed without the guilt.

We ordered the pack of 5 noodles for our review. This included a pack each of bajra noodles, ragi noodles, multi millet noodles, barnyard millet noodles and little millet noodles. All the noodles come with a tastemaker which by itself is tangy and spicy. We could see some sugar granules in the masala, which weren’t mentioned in the list of ingredients. 

We cooked the noodles as per the instructions given on the pack. We used a handful of veggies like bell peppers and carrots, as mentioned. The pack advised to add the tastemaker in the last stage but that led to formation of a lot of clumps. We suggest you mix the water and masala first and add the noodles after.

Bajra Noodles – The Bajra Noodles are non-sticky and have a firm bite. They don’t become mushy or squidgy. The noodles combine well with the tastemaker and these were a hit at our HQ. People with low chilli tolerance might want to refrain from adding the entire pack of tastemaker to the noodles. Add gradually and adjust as per your taste.

Little Millet Noodles – Panicum sumatrense (little millets) have a low glycemic index and are a good source of slow digesting carbohydrates. We made the noodles as per the above mentioned method and felt that these noodles tend to absorb a lot more water than regular instant noodles. So making soupy noodles might not be a viable option. We liked that these noodles were non-sticky and had a very desirable texture.

Ragi Millet Noodles – Ragi innately has an earthy flavor which is reflected very well in these packs of noodles. The ragi noodles have a brown color and when you look closely you can see specs of ragi flour distributed throughout the strands of noodles. The noodles did not become sticky at all and maintained their bite.

Multi-Millet Noodles – Multi millet noodles are made using kodo millets, foxtail millets, bayard millets, ragi and wheat flour. The texture and taste maker of these noodles are the same as all the above variants. 

Banyrad Millet Noodles – The noodles were tough while cooking, they were not easily breaking and needed extra effort. As a result the parts which were left to break completely seemed undercooked and the ones which were separated well were cooked completely. Since these are millet noodles, we cannot have an expectation of super silky noodles, but these still have a bite. 

A few things we noticed across all millet noodles are – 

• The tastemaker is the same for all. It is spicy and has a warm clove-like flavor.
• It is advised to not add the tastemaker all at once. Add gradually, as per your spice tolerance.
• Add as many veggies you like, it enhances the flavor even further.
• Apart from ragi noodles, none of them have an accentuated millet flavor. This is not a bad thing, considering some people do not particularly enjoy the millet flavor.

Contact Number – 04214332063

Email Id- contact@kamaleya.com

Website – www.kamaleya.com

Social Media Links – Instagram

Here are some interesting FAQs about Kamaleya Organics.

1. Who is the founder of Kamaleya?

Kamaleya was founded by Sakthi Karunambigai.

2. Are the noodles gluten free?

While millets are gluten free by nature, the noodles contain whole wheat. The instant noodles by Kamaleya are not gluten free.

3. Do the noodles come with a tastemaker?

Yes. All the instant noodles we tried come with a tastemaker. Each portion of noodles is sufficient for 2-3 people.

4. Where is the brand Kamaleya from?

The brand has its headquarters in Nilakottai, Dindugal, Tamil Nadu.

5. Are millets good for women with PCOS?

Yes, millets have a low-glycemic index which helps improve insulin sensitivity, which is a major symptom of PCOS. If you are suffering from PCOS, we advise you to consult a certified nutritionist for a wholesome and balanced diet.

Millets aren’t something we consume on a regular basis. Infact, we often find ourselves running away from them. Who wouldn’t want a millet roti to be trumped by a butter naan, afterall? But let us tell you something, these millet noodles don’t even taste like millets. They are delicious and yet provide the satisfaction of a yummy, slurpy bowl of instant noodles. The poha, rava and dosa mix by Kamaleya also earned a place in our list of favorites. We specifically liked the dosa mix for its fibrous texture, and nutty taste. 

Have you tried millet based products yet? If yes, how do you include millets in your diet? Send in your suggestions in the comment section below.

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