Millet pongal, with samai / little millet with step by step pictures. Healthier way by swapping rice. You will never know it’s not rice.
Of the millets my parents gave me, samai (Little millet in English, Kutki in Hindi, Sama in telugu, Same in Kannada, Chama in Malayalam) is the last one to try. One day I was craving to have pongal, but wanted to make it healthier.
So tried my hands with samai also known as little millet. It came out really superb. I used to make our regular pongal this way, i.e; temper directly in pressure cooker and cook all together for pongal – my mom’s way.
Its been a long time since I made this way. My mom never adds turmeric anyways. But I added. If you want to replace rice in your diet with millets, this is one of the best option to make pongal. You hardly will know its not rice.
Millet pongal
Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Samai / Little millet – ½ cup
- 2 tbsp Moong dal / Payatham paruppu – 2 tblsp
- 1 tbsp Ginger crushed/ chopped
- ⅛ tsp Turmeric
- Ghee – As needed
To temper
- 2 tsp Ghee
- 1 tsp Pepper Black whole pepper
- ¾ tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Green chilli
- 1 Sprig Curry leaves
- ⅛ tsp Asafoetida/ Hing
Instructions
- Heat a small pressure cooker with ghee.
- First pop pepper, add cumin seeds the other ingredients together (green chilli slit) and give a stir.
- Add ginger, moong dal and fry for a minute. Wash samai, add it into the cooker. Mix well.
- Add 2 cups water, salt and mix well.
- Bring to boil and close the cooker, give 4 whistles in medium flame.
- Once done, let the pressure release by itself. Open and mash well.
Notes
Millet pongal method
- Heat a small pressure cooker with ghee, first pop pepper, add jeera the other ingredients together (green chilli slit) and give a stir. Add ginger, moong dal and fry for a minute. Wash samai, add it into the cooker. Mix well.
- Add 2 cups water, salt and mix well. Bring to boil and close the cooker, give 4 whistles in medium flame. Once done, let the pressure release by itself. Open and mash well.
Notes
- For ½ cup samai, 2 cups water is perfect, so do not hesitate to add.
- If its too dry, mix ⅛ cup hot water and mix.
Serve hot with ghee topped if desired, with sambar and coconut chutney.
Happily finish tat full bowl….thnx for sharing
healthy pongal…looks yum…
hi is it the same as rajgira.if not can i try with rajgira ?..want to try this..really your family is blessed..you keep teaching us more and more healthy yummy recipes.
It's tempting
Nice one. Can you please post recipes using cholam
Lovely raks tempting tempting tempting ….tomorrow breakfast decided
Going to try this tomorrow.
Tried this today..came out best…all of us loved d flavour…thnx…
Do we have to soak the little millet overnight?
Dehusked millet is just like rice. No need to soak
Made samai pongal for breakfast today by following your recipe. It turned out excellent. The proportions and cooking time are perfect. Thanks for another terrific recope
Thanks a lot for your feedback 🙂
Hi Raji,
I tried this recipe, it turned out nice and automatic. Everyone loved it.
Thank you for your feedback Mythili 🙂
Hi Raks, where do buy these millets? look forward for your reply, thanks.
I buy in Mustafa or Sri Murugan stores