Save

Saamai (Little Millet) Pongal Recipe

Posted By: Healthy Buddha
Category: Breakfast
Level: Easy
Cooking Time: 20 min
Serves: 4
Views: 1786

About Recipe:

Healthy, light, easy and loaded with proteins and fiber, this little millet pongal recipe is the healthiest dish you can make for Sankranthi. Cooked with split moong dal, little millet and seasoned with pepper, cumin and a generous hint of ginger – there’s no better way to start your day than with this healthy dish. The general norm at most households is to make pongal with rice and moong dal. However, owing to curb some carbs and eating healthy, we switched to millets 3 years ago. Ever since then it has been millets pongal on Sankranthi. Of course, you could make this with red rice/brown rice. But making it with millets keeps you all the more lighter. Recipe by Sindhu Bharadwaj

Ingredients:

Little Millet - 1Cup (250 gms)
Split Moong Dal - 1/2Cup
Salt - As needed
Ginger grated - 1Inch
For Tempering:
Mustard - 1Tsp
Jeera - 1Tsp
Hing - 1/2Tsp
Pepper Corns/ PowderWhole/Crushed/ Pounded - 5-6
Sprigs Curry Leaves - 1-2
CashewsChopped - 8-10
Green Chillies Finely Chopped/Slit - 5-6
Oil - 2Tbsp
Turmeric - 1tsp

Procedure:

To begin making the little millet saame pongal, mix the little millet and moong dal together and wash it 3-4 times. Keep it aside.
In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the mustard, jeera - once they crackle add the green chillies, hing, turmeric and curry leaves.
Now add the cashews and fry till they turn golden brown. Keep a small portion of this for garnishing.
Now add the little millet and moong dal - give it a quick mix.
Add 2 cups of water to this and wait till it comes to a slight boil.
Time to add the ginger, pepper powder and salt - give it a quick mix. Close the pressure cooker and let it cook until 2-3 whistles. Once the cooker cools, open and give it a fluff, check if you need to add more water in case it is a bit dry.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a bit of seasoning.