Little Millet Upma / Samai Upma / Millet Recipes is a quick and nutritious breakfast or dinner option, prepared with minimal ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes.(step-by-step-recipe-video)
About Little Millet Upma Recipe:
I made Little Millet Upma for the first time because I didn’t know much about millet recipes and their benefits before. Now that I know millets are healthy, I’m happy I tried Little Millet Upma. In fact, I also tried Little Millet Pongal, and I will be sharing the recipe very soon.
Samai Upma Recipe is a tasty South Indian dish made with a special grain. People in India enjoy it for breakfast or as a snack, especially in the south. It’s not just delicious but also healthier because it’s made from whole grains.
Little Millet Upma tastes like Rava Upma and is good for your daily meals.
It has a nutty taste, nice texture, and lots of spices, showing how cooks use local ingredients to make yummy food. In this blog post, we’ll learn where it comes from, why it’s good for you, and how to make it.
And yes, keep watching this space because I will be posting many Millet recipes, just for you. 🙂
Isn’t that great????
Anyways now let us jump onto today’s recipe which is the Samai Upma Recipe or Little Millet Upma.
What are Millets?
Millets are tiny plants that people have grown for a very long time in different places like Asia and Africa. They’re strong, can grow in many climates, and are good for you. Some kinds of millets are:
- Pearl Millet (Bajra): Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent, pearl millet is a drought-tolerant crop and a significant food source in arid regions.
- Finger Millet (Ragi): Popular in India and Africa, finger millet is rich in calcium and is often used to make porridge, roti, and other dishes.
- Sorghum (Jowar): Sorghum is widely cultivated and used for various purposes, including as a grain for human consumption and fodder for livestock.
- Foxtail Millet: This millet is a common ingredient in South Indian cuisine and is used to make dishes like upma and idli.
- Little Millet: As the name suggests, it has small grains and is commonly used in South India to prepare upma, pongal, and other dishes.
- Proso Millet: Often grown in dry regions, proso millet is used in various culinary applications, including as a cereal grain and in baked goods.
- Kodo Millet: This millet is a good source of fiber and is used in dishes like dosa, idli, and porridge.
Millets are becoming famous all around the world because they’re healthy, don’t have gluten, and can grow in tough places. They have good things like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs. Also, growing millet is good for the environment because it uses less water and grows faster than some other grains like rice and wheat.
Serving Suggestion:
Enjoy your Little Millet Upma as a hot breakfast or snack. It’s delicious with coconut chutney or sambar for a South Indian meal. So savor your Little Millet Upma as a tasty and healthy meal!
Storage Suggestion:
To keep extra Little Millet Upma, let it cool down, then put it in a closed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you want to eat it again, warm it up with a little water. But it’s best when it’s fresh.
Pro Tips:
Soaking makes it cook faster, so soak the little millet for at least 15 minutes.
You can use any type of millets you have instead of little millets.
You can add vegetables of your choice and also you can increase or decrease spices as per your taste.
Why You Should Make this Recipe?
- Nutrition: Little millet upma is made from little millet, which is a highly nutritious grain. It’s rich in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a healthy choice for a meal.
- Variety: If you’re looking for a change from the usual sooji ka upma then you can try this healthy little millet upma, It tastes different from regular upma.
- Easy and Quick: This recipe is relatively easy to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes, making it a convenient option for busy mornings or when you need a fast meal.
- Customizable: You can customize the recipe by adding your favorite vegetables or spices, making it adaptable to your taste preferences.
- Health Benefits: Little millet is a nutritional powerhouse, suitable for various recipes due to its gluten-free nature. Additionally, if you’re aiming for weight loss or managing your blood sugar levels, little millet can be a valuable addition to your diet.
In short, making this recipe gives you a healthy, yummy, and fast meal while letting you try new ingredients and flavors in your cooking.
Looking for some More Recipes Like this:
Are you looking for some more healthy and delicious recipes, then you might want to check out these recipes:
Basic Ingredients Used to Make this Recipe:
To make Little Millet Upma or Samai Upma, you would need basic ingredients like,
Little Millet: The main ingredient, little millet, is a nutritious whole grain rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It forms the base of the upma and provides complex carbohydrates for energy.
Onion: I have used onion for this recipe which adds yummy flavor to the upma. You can skip if you want no onion no garlic recipe and use the rest of the other ingredients.
Veggies: I have used veggies like beans, carrots, green peas, capsicum, and sweet corn to make this recipe more healthy. You can add veggies of your choice.
Coconut: Adding coconut to the recipe can enhance its flavor and texture. Coconut pairs well with Little Millet Upma, providing a hint of sweetness and a pleasant tropical touch. You can skip if you want to.
Coriander leaves: Coriander leaves make the dish taste fresher and better, and they’re often used in Indian cooking to make it more delicious.
Lemon Juice: Sure, adding lemon juice gives your upma a tangy and zesty kick, making it taste even better.
Ginger: I enjoy adding ginger to my upma for its spiciness and digestion benefits. To make it less noticeable for my daughter, who doesn’t like ginger, I grate it finely to ensure she can’t taste it.
Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds: Using both mustard seeds and cumin seeds in your recipe adds a tasty mix of flavors. If you want you can use either one of them.
Green Chilli: Adding green chilies to your recipe gives it a pleasant spiciness, making it tastier and a bit hot.
Curry Leaves: Adding curry leaves to your upma enhances its taste with a South Indian flavor and aroma.
Asafotida: Adding asafoetida also known as hing, to your cooking can make your dishes taste better by giving them a unique and savory flavor.
Coconut oil: I prefer using coconut oil, but you may use oil or ghee too.
Little Millet Upma (Samai Upma)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Little millet samai
- 2 cup water
- 2 Onion chopped
- 1/4 cup Beans chopped
- 1/4 cup Carrot chopped
- 1/4 cup Green Peas
- 1/4 cup Capsicum chopped
- 1/4 cup Sweet Corn boiled
- 4 tbsp Coconut grated optional
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 tsp Lemon juice
- Salt to taste
To Temper
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 pinch Hing asafoetida
- 4 Green chillies finely chopped
- 1-2 tsp ginger grated, optional
- few curry leaves
- 4 tbsp Coconut oil
Instructions
- Firstly, wash the Little Millet and soak it in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Now in a Kadai, heat oil.
- Add mustard seeds, and jeera, and let them splutter.
- Then add hing, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add onion. Saute for a minute or two till the onion turns slight brown.
- Now add chopped mixed veggies, salt, and saute for 2-3 mins until veggies are are well cooked and soft.
- Now add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
- Drain the water from soaked samai and add it to the boiling water. Mix well. Adjust the salt at this stage.
- Then cover with a lid and cook for about 8-10 minutes on low flame.
- Once the little millet is cooked and you see all the water has been absorbed, thoroughly cooked, and looks grainy), turn off the gas and add grated coconut, coriander leaves, and limon juice.
- Lastly, mix well and Serve Little Millet Upma (Samai Upma) hot with coconut chutney or any chutney of your choice. It tastes good even with schezwan chutney.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About this Recipe:
What is a Millet?
Little millet is a small, nutritious grain commonly grown in parts of India. It’s often used in South Indian cuisine for dishes like upma.
Is little millet gluten-free?
Yes, little millet is gluten-free.
What are the health benefits of little millet?
Little millet is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It may aid digestion, support weight management, and offer other health benefits.
Can I prepare Little Millet Upma in advance and reheat it?
Yes, you can prepare it in advance and reheat it when needed. Add a little water while reheating to maintain the desired texture.
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