Samai Pongal/Little Millet Pongal

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Coconut Chutney, how to make samai pongal, Little Millet Pongal, Little Millet Recipes, Millet, millets, pongal recipe, Samai Pongal, Samai recipes, Samai Venpongal

In my childhood or even few years back, I never had the awareness to millets. The only millet which we knew was Ragi/Finger Millet which is quite popular in my place. But once I came to know the health benefits of different types of millets, I want to consume more of these and reduce rice which is the primary food for any south Indian. It also surprises me that millets have been used in ancient days a lot and in the passage of time, rice has taken the precedence and millets are completely forgotten. I am so glad we have got the awareness.

In our recent visit to Indian stores, I found a pack of samai(Little Millets) , I was so excited and grabbed it. We can easily prepare any recipe that is made with rava(semolina), replace with millets. Today I made this samai pongal and I absolutely loved it. I made it as a one pot meal, so it is easier and faster, you can follow the traditional method of making pongal.

It goes well with coconut chutney or peanuts chutney. Sambar is an ideal choice for pongal.

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

Samai/Little Millet : 1 1/4 cup

Moong Dal : 1/2 cup(washed)

Ghee : 1 tablespoon(you can replace with normal oil)

Cumin Seeds/Jeera : 1/4 teaspoon

Black Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon

Ginger : 1 small piece chopped finely

Cashews : Few

Curry Leaves : Few

Water : 5 cups

Salt : as required

Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Method:

• Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker.
• When hot, add cumin seeds, black pepper. When they crackle, add curry leaves and ginger, cashews.
• Saute till cashews turn golden color.
• Next add the moong dal, saute for a minute.
• Next add samai as well and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Mix turmeric powder as well.
• Add the above mentioned water , salt.
• Cook for 4 whistles.
• Let it cool down, open mix well and serve with any chutney or sambar.

In case you fee it is very dry, you can add some hot water and mix. I like it dry and my hubby likes it watery 😉

Enjoy this healthy breakfast which is quite heavy!!!

 

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Sakkarai Pongal

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CHettinad sakkari pongal, chettinad style of pongal celebration, pongal, pongal celebrations, Pongal in pongal paanai, pongal recipe, Sakkarai Pongal, Sarkarai Pongal, Traditional way of preparing sakkarai pongal

This has been the most delayed post from me. I wanted to do it last week itself but after pongal celebrations, I was totally tired and I am still having migraine headache from last week. Here is the traditional method of preparing pongal in pot(pongal panai). My pics are not so great this time 🙂

Also I got organic jaggery this time, it was absolutely tasty. Never got the sugary feeling in this pongal. So the end result was totally tasty 🙂

Ingredients:

Raw Rice/Pachai arisi : 1 cup

Moong Dal/Pasiparuppu : 1/4 cup

Jaggery : 1 cup

Milk : 1 cup (I used around 1 1/2 cup to make it rich)

Water : 3 to 4 cups (as required)

Ghee : 3 to 4 tablespoons(adjust according to your need)

Cashews : 2 tablespoons

Raisins : 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Wash raw rice with 1 cup of water and save the water in another vessel. If you find any impurities filter it.
• Set aside the rice.
• Heat 1 cup washed water+1 1/2 cup milk+1 cup normal water in the pot/pongal panai.
• When the milk boils and comes up to the rim of the pot/panai, we usually say “Pongal o Pongal ” and drizzle a bit of water over it.
• When it subsides, add the rice, moong dal and let it cook.
• In between keep checking if water is needed, in case it is needed we can add more.
• This rice has to be cooked more than the normal rice like a little mashed.
• When it is 95% done, in another pan heat jaggery powder with enough water to form a fine paste.
• Now filter it over the rice and mix well.
• Another small pan heat ghee and add cashews when it starts turning golden brown add raisins. When raisins pops, add this to the rice.
• By now the rice is fully ready and can be served.

This is how we celebrated pongal 🙂