Little Millet Pongal

#SamaiArisiPongal  #LittleMilletPongal : #LittleMillet is called #Samai in Tamil. Little Millet grains are globules in shape like sego ( sabhudhana ) of very small size. It looks same as Kodo Millet. But the grains are smaller than Kodo millet. This can be cooked just like rice and the taste is better than rice. I tried pongal with little millet and let me present the method of preparation here.

Ingredients :
Little Millet ( Samai )                  :  3/4 Cup
Green Gram Dhal (Pacha            : 1/4 Cup
                  Paruppu)
Cumin Seeds(Jeerakam)              : 1 1/2 Tsp
Pepper(Milagu)                           : 1 Tsp
Pepper Powder                            : 1 Tsp
Green Chilly ( split into two )      : 1 or 2 ( Optional )
Curry Leaves                               : 10 - 15 leaves
Salt                                              Approx. 1Tsp
Turmeric Powder                         : 1/4 Tsp
Water                                          : 3 1/2 Cups
Garlic                                          : 3 cloves ( nicely chopped )

To Temper :
Cashew Nuts                             : 4 or 5
Cumin Seeds                             : 1 Tsp
Pepper                                      : 1 Tsp
Curry Leaves                            : 8
Ghee                                        : 2 Tsp

Method :
I cooked over Induction stove.
Since samai grains are very small they may contain small stones and sand particles.
It is better to clean them before cooking.
Take samai rice in a basin with water. Hold it with your left hand in a tilting position touching the floor at a point.
Then shake left and right slowly so that the stones and sand particles settle at the bottom.
While moving the vessel left right try to take small quantities using right hand.
Or try to transfer grains along with water with slow left right movement into another vessel on the right.
When you transfer from left side basin to right side vessel a small quantity of grains goes into right side vessel along with water.
Now transfer only water from right side to left side.
Keep repeating the action till all grains in the basin go into vessel on the right.
Finally the heavy sand particles and stones which settled at the bottom remain in the basin. Discard it.
This way the sand particles and small stones can be removed from grains of little millet.

Now take cleaned samai, washed green gram and all other given ingredients in a pressure cooker.
Add 3 1/2 cup of water.

Mix well with a ladle and close the lid with weight on.

Keep on the induction stove.
Set temperature to 800 and allow 3 whistles.
Then reduce the temperature setting to 120 and set time for 5 minutes.
Then wait till the pressure goes off.
Open and mix well with the ladle.
Little Millet pongal is ready!!

Now heat a kadai with ghee.
First fry cashews till golden color transfer onto prepared pongal.br /> Splutter cumin and then add pepper corns and curry leaves.
Transfer and mix well with a ladle.

Serve hot adding a dash of 1 or 2 Tsp of ghee.
Enjoy with coconut chutny,

pongal thuvaiyal or


vadavath thuvaiyal



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