What is Little Millet Pongal / Samai Pongal?
Samai or Little Millet Pongal is a quick, nutritious and filling Gluten Free breakfast or dinner made with Little Millet and Moong dal. Served hot with Chutney and / or sambhar / Tangy Tamarind Sauce called Gojju.
Pongal is a South indian Breakfast dish made with a combination of lentils and rice -its trademark taste and consistency is gooey creaminess redolent with the mild spice and ghee (clarified butter) that’s used . Ven Pongal is also served as Prasadam (Prashad ) in a few South Indian temples. Usually only Moong dal (split green gram) and short grained rice is used. Other variations that are now the rage are millets in place of rice. Furthermore, Rava / Semolina or godhuma rava (broken wheat / lapsi) are also used sometimes, with varying ratio of rice:lentils and dfferent taste.
Millets in everyday cooking
Another Millet after Foxtail (Thinai) that lends itself beautifully in place of Rice for Pongal is Samai or Little Millet. Samai is different from Sama (or Barnyard Millet that's used for fasting recipes during Navratri / Shivratri). Samai is a versatile grain that we loved making Upma with too.
Much to my surprise (and welcome relief!) , the husband has also started liking millets in place of rice, and so like the Dalia Bisibelebhath featured earlier, this Samai Pongal was our Sunday brunch for just the two of us. Mom who had a bit of this, also appreciated how soft and light this pongal was.
Considering my unyielding love for perfectly made Pongal, I think this dish will be made very often even on weekday mornings as its so perfect and light. Another equally quick and delish pongal with foxtail millet (thinai pongal) is our current favourite too!
What can Thinai Pongal be served with?
I was surprised to find how much Pongal it yielded, so the leftovers warmed up beautifully for my Monday breakfast too ! This pongal can be served with Chettinad Khara Chutney/ Coconut Coriander Chutney or even Hotel Sambhar.
We love it most when served with HuNase Gojju - a Tangy, spicy quick to make sauce that goes so well.
But considering the kitchen was like a furnace, we had this with Daangri Pachadi (Urad dal - roasted ground and the spicy paste mixed with yoghurt and tempered - Recipe soon! ).
Pro Tips to make the best Samai Pongal
- Roasting the moong dal gives it additional aroma
- dont skip the ghee and asafoetida (diet permitting) , Pongal is primarily highlighted by the duo
- If short of time, soak millets in hot water for 10 mins before cooking, it turns out perfect.
Other Quick and filling Breakfast / Dinner Options you may like on the blog!
Other Savoury Pongal Varieties on the blog:
- Thinai Khara Pongal
- Classic Ven Pongal
- Oats Pongal
- Rava Pongal (Semolina Pongal)
Samai Pongal - Gluten Free One Pot meal | Can be vegan too !
Cuisine : South Indian ; Course : Breakfast / brunch/ dinner ; Difficulty level : Easy
Prep time - 5 mins, Cook time - 15 mins, Serves : 2 ~3 adults generously
PIN FOR LATER
What you need to make Samai Pongal:
- 1 cup Little Millet (Samai (1 cup = 240 ml)
- ½ cup split green gram (Moong dal / Pasiparuppu)
- 2 tablespoon Ghee (split use) - skip for vegan version or use vegan butter
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
Tempering
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida ( Hing,a generous pinch, skip for GF)
- ½ teaspoon Ginger (Grated)
- 1 teaspoon cashewnuts (opt.)
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 Dry red chilly (broken)
How to make Samai Pongal
- In a bowl, wash and rinse the Samai several times. In a pressure cooker, add half of the 1 tablespoon ghee, roast moong dal for a min or two, then add the samai, turmeric, half of the jeera + pepper mix, 3.5 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
- Close and pressure cook for 2 whistles (Samai cooks very quickly, you don't want it too mushy).
- Once the pressure is released, mash it up a bit. Add water if you want a really runny consistency. Add salt and mix once.
- Prepare a tempering with the tempering ingredients + remaining half of the jeera+pepper mixure in the rest of the ghee. Pour on top of the cooked pongal. Adjust for salt and spice. Mix well and serve hot with any Chutney or Sambhar.
- Here in the below video, I have shown how to make a combo meal with Little millet pongal and Hunase Gojju - a classic karnataka style combo (Millets with Tangy Spicy Tamarind Sauce)
Little Millet Pongal | Samai Pongal Recipe | GF Dishes
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Little Millet Samai (1 cup = 240 ml
- ⅓ cup Split Green gram Moong dal / Pasiparuppu
- 2 tablespoon Ghee split use - skip for vegan version or use vegan butter
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
Tempering
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds Jeera
- ½ teaspoon Whole Black Pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida Hing,a generous pinch, skip for GF
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Grated
- 1 teaspoon Cashewnuts opt.
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 Dry red chilly broken
Instructions
- In a bowl, wash and rinse the Samai several times. In a pressure cooker, add half of the 1 tablespoon ghee, roast moong dal for a min or two, then add the samai, turmeric, half of the jeera + pepper mix, 3.5 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
- Close and pressure cook for 2 whistles (Samai cooks very quickly, you don't want it too mushy).
- Once the pressure is released, mash it up a bit. Add water if you want a really runny consistency. Add salt and mix once.
- Prepare a tempering with the tempering ingredients + remaining half of the jeera+pepper mixure in the rest of the ghee. Pour on top of the cooked pongal. Adjust for salt and spice. Mix well and serve hot with any Chutney or Sambhar.
Video
Notes
- Roasting the moong dal gives it additional aroma
- dont skip the ghee and asafoetida (diet permitting) , Pongal is primarily highlighted by the duo
- If short of time, soak millets in hot water for 10 mins before cooking, it turns out perfect.
Suma Gandlur says
Even small quantities of quinoa and millets are quite filling compared to rice and the pongal looks very inviting. I am sure that it was quite delicious.
Gayathri Kumar says
I am literally drooling here Kalyani. The pongal looks fantastic and the pachadi sounds awesome. Waiting for your recipe for that.
Swati says
Millets are quite filling .. looks so tempting.. I really like how you adapt the traditional recipes with healthy grains.
Mayuri Patel says
An easy to make, healthy and delicious recipe. Love that samai pongal is gluten free. Would make a perfect light lunch option.
Kalyani says
Thank you, Mayuri. all millet pongals are GF and we love them too for brunch!
srividhya says
Samai IMO is the great rice replacement among the millets. It took us sometime to get used to barnyard and kodo but little millet was super easy. This venpongal with samai sounds absolutely delicious.
Kalyani says
couldn't agree more Vidhya. Samai was the easiest and yummiest transition to millet pongals. Barnyard n Kodo are used in Dosa at home, not pongal 🙂
Renu says
I love to have millets and try to have it alteast 2-3 times a week. This millet pongal with samai looks like an easy recipe with all the goodness in it.
Kalyani says
Thanks Renu. Pongal is surely an easy way to incorporate millets !
Archana says
Beautifully made little millet pongal. Looks so very soft and of course it is filling. That it is gluten-free is an added bonus.
Kalyani says
It sure is soft and delish Archana. Thank you.
Jayashree T Rao says
The best thing about Pongal is the many different ways we can prepare it. Loved it Kalyani, will make it sometime.
Kalyani says
True Jayashree., Thank you
Seema Sriram says
Making samai pongal tommorow, I am glad I spotted your recipe. I love the ease of making this.
Kalyani says
yay. let me know how you liked it Seema
Harini says
I could survive on pongal for days on end. Very nutritious and filling as well. I make pongal with all kinds of millets 🙂
Kalyani says
yay ! me too a pongal fan, Harini 🙂
Srivalli says
This is an excellent recipe Kalyani. Ever since we started using millets, we have been replacing it in all possible ways!
Kalyani says
yes valli. same here. Millets are so versatile aren't they ?
Radha says
Millets are very healthy and we make millet pongal often here. We make it for any meal. You pongal looks divine!
Kalyani says
thank you, radha. We love millet pongal too.
Usha says
Millets are nice substitute for rice. Pongal is so creamy and gooey. Pongal was so delicious and we enjoyed it a lot.
Kalyani says
Thank you, Usha. Thanks for trying it and letting me know.