Samai Ven Pongal Recipe | Breakfast Recipes | Easy Millet Recipes

3 months into blogging!! Oh I am so surprised that I could posts some good recipes we enjoy at home!!!
Ven Pongal is my dad's most favorite breakfast along with vadai, sambar and coconut chutney. I started making this very often as its very tasty, healthy and easy to prepare in minutes when I get up very late in the morning. Having started knowing the benefits of millets, the first recipe I tried with millets is this and it turned out very well than I expected and my hubby couldn't notice the difference in the rice actually and he felt it tasted more than the regular. So from now on, no more ven pongal with raw rice. To the Recipe...

LITTLE MILLET VEN PONGAL | SAMAI VEN PONGAL RECIPE

Recipe Category: South Indian | Main

Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Little Millet / Samai - 1 cup
Split Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 2.5 or 3 (according to the consistency pref)
Cashew Nuts - 10, broken to small bits
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

To Temper:

Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin or Jeera - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 slitted
Ginger - 1/2 tbsp, fine pieces
Curry Leaves - few
Hing - pinch

Method of Preparation:

1. Soak little millet/ samai for 15 minutes. Dry roast split moong dhal in a pan for a minute in low flame or till roasted mild and the aroma comes. Add this to the soaked little millet. Drain and keep ready. Roast cashew nuts bits to golden brown with ghee in a tadka pan. Keep aside. 

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the items "to temper". Add water and salt. Once water starts boiling add the rice and dhal. Close and pressure cook for 1 whistle and 5 minutes over simmer. Switch off and let it rest till the pressure releases. Open and add the roasted cashew nuts along with ghee and mix well. 

Serve hot with Sambar, Vadai and Coconut Chutney.

Notes:

• You can replace little millet with any type of millet variety. 
• Adding cashew nuts after pressure cooking will retain its crunchiness.
• Adjust the water quantity according to the rice type and consistency of the pongal. 

In Picture: Little Millet Ven Pongal with Sambar and Orange Juice.