Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (2024)

Updated on by Raks Anand 16 Comments

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Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (1)

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.

Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (2)

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.

Recipe card

Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (3)

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5 from 4 votes

Millet pongal

Millet pongal, with samai / little millet with step by step pictures. Healthier way by swapping rice. You will never know it's not rice.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Author Raks Anand

Servings 2

Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

Cup measurements

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Samai / Little millet - ½ cup
  • 2 tablespoon Moong dal / Payatham paruppu - 2 tblsp
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger crushed/ chopped
  • teaspoon Turmeric
  • Ghee - As needed

To temper

  • 2 teaspoon Ghee
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper Black whole pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 Green chilli
  • 1 Sprig Curry leaves
  • teaspoon 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

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.

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Millet pongal method

  1. 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.Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (4)
  2. 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.Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (5)

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.

Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (6)

Other Indian Breakfast & Dinner ideas

  • Bedmi Puri Recipe
  • Sabudana Thalipeeth Recipe
  • Oats chilla recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sindhujabalaji

    Happily finish tat full bowl....thnx for sharing

    Reply

  2. Kurinji

    healthy pongal...looks yum...

    Reply

  3. bagirathidevi senthilkumar

    It's tempting

    Reply

  4. Thava

    Nice one. Can you please post recipes using cholam

    Reply

  5. Kanniammal Viswanathan

    Lovely raks tempting tempting tempting ....tomorrow breakfast decided

    Reply

  6. Leelavathy

    Going to try this tomorrow.

    Reply

  7. Nagarathinam Vijay

    Tried this today..came out best...all of us loved d flavour...thnx...

    Reply

  8. bhuvana

    Do we have to soak the little millet overnight?

    Reply

  9. Raks Kitchen

    Dehusked millet is just like rice. No need to soak

    Reply

  10. Sethu

    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

    Reply

    • Raks Anand

      Thanks a lot for your feedback 🙂

      Reply

  11. Mythili

    Hi Raji,
    I tried this recipe, it turned out nice and automatic. Everyone loved it.

    Reply

    • Raks Anand

      Thank you for your feedback Mythili 🙂

      Reply

  12. KALA

    Hi Raks, where do buy these millets? look forward for your reply, thanks.

    Reply

    • Raks Anand

      I buy in Mustafa or Sri Murugan stores

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Samai pongal | Little millet pongal recipe - Raks Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What do we call samai millet in English? ›

Samai is also known as little millet in English. Also known as Kutki in Hindi. Samai is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and it's a leading health food suggested by doctors to help you to have a better balanced diet.

What is Samai food? ›

Little millet, also known as Samai or Kutki, is a small-seeded cereal crop that belongs to the Poaceae family. It is commonly grown in India, Nepal, and other parts of Asia, and is considered a staple food in some regions.

What is chama rice in english? ›

Little millet or Chama Rice is very rich in dietary fibre and protein. Millets are ideal for diabetics looking for an alternative grain to rice.

Is Samai millet good for weight loss? ›

Being low in GI and high in protein it's a perfect pick for weight loss. It is also gluten-free. Samai rice helps in celiac diets, and weight loss diets. It is also a good pick for pcod and hormone issues.

Is samai rice good for diabetics? ›

The glycemic index of samak rice is known to be around 50, which falls in the low glycemic index range and, thus, it is suitable for individuals with diabetes.

Is Samai good for health? ›

Samai Rice, also known as Little Millet, packs a powerful punch of health benefits, making it a must-have in your kitchen. From aiding digestion and managing blood sugar to promoting heart health and supporting weight management, this gluten-free wonder grain offers something for everyone.

Can we eat Samai rice daily? ›

Millets are nutritious, non-glutinous (non-sticky), and are not acid-forming foods, thus making them very easy to digest. Yes, it's safe to eat millets instead of rice every day, and millets can be a nutritious and healthy alternative to rice in your diet.

Does millet increase sugar level? ›

Millet is good for people with diabetes, but only if you take it as a part of a balanced diet. Keeping portion in mind is essential to ensure that it benefits your health in the most positive way possible. Even with its low GI and high nutrient content, consuming it in excess can lower blood sugar levels.

Is quinoa a millet? ›

Is quinoa a millet? No. Millets are a group of small grains that offer a rich source of minerals and vitamins while being gluten-free. In India, they serve as staple foods for certain communities, although they remain relatively unknown to others.

What is the difference between millet and millet rice? ›

Moving on to carbs, both millet, and rice include them, but the types and quantities vary. Millet contains more complex carbs that are slower to digest and give longer-lasting energy. Rice, on the other hand, has more simple carbs, which break down rapidly into sugar and might induce blood sugar rises.

What is the other name for Samai? ›

SWASTH Little Millets Unpolished And Natural Organic 01KG (Samai) (Other Names Of Little Millet Kutki, Shavan, Saamai, Sama, Samalu, Saame, Save Chama, Sava, Halvi, Vari, Swank, Gajro, Kuri, Sama, Suan)|Glutenfree|for weightloss.

Is Sama rice and little millet same? ›

Little Millet (Panicum miliare), one of the small millets, is called kutki in Hindi, sava (Marathi), gajro (Gujrati), same (Kannada), samai (Tamil), and samalu (Telugu). Little millet is suitable for people of all age groups.

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