https://www.indianveggiedelight.com/little-millet-upma/#recipe Published: Oct 30, 2018. Modified: Mar 22, 2024 by Bhavana Patil.

Servings : 4

Calories : 207

Course : Breakfast

Cuisine : Indian, South Indian

Diet : Vegan, Vegetarian

Method : Stovetop

Prep Time : 15minutes minutes

Cook Time : 15minutes minutes

Total Time : 30minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup little millet (samai)
• 2 cup water (use ¾ cup water for instant pot)
• 2 medium onion
• 1 cup mixed veggies (Beans,Carrot,Peas,Capsicum)
• 4 tablespoons coconut grated, optional
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
• 2 teaspoon lime juice to taste
• salt to taste

To Temper

• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon jeera (cumin)
• a pinch hing (asafoetida)
• 4 green chilies finely chopped
• 2 teaspoon ginger grated, optional
• few curry leaves
• 4 tablespoon coconut oil

Firstly, wash the Little Millet and soak it in water for at least 15-30 minutes.

In a Kadai, add oil, mustard seeds, and jeera, and let them splutter. Then add hing, green chilies, ginger (optional), curry leaves, and saute for a few Seconds.

Then add onion. Saute for a minute or two till the onion turns slightly brown. Later add finely chopped mixed veggies, salt, and saute for 2-3 mins until veggies are cooked.

Then add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Drain the 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.

Note : Since we soaked it for 15 minutes, it reduced the cooking time.

Once the little millet is cooked (until all the water has been absorbed, thoroughly cooked, and looks grainy), turn off the gas and add grated coconut, coriander leaves, and lime juice.

Lastly, mix well and Serve Little Millet Upma (Samai Upma) hot with coconut chutney or chutney powder.

How to Make Little Millet Upma in Instant Pot

• Wash the Little millet and soak it in water for at least 15-30 minutes.
• Press SAUTE, add oil, once hot, add in the mustard seeds, jeera and let them splutter.
• Then add hing, green chilies, ginger (optional), curry leaves, and saute for a few seconds.
• Then add onion. Saute for a minute or two till the onion turns slightly brown.
• Add chopped mixed vegetables, soaked millet, ¾ cup of water, salt, and mix well. Deglaze the pot, i.e., scrape any food particle that is sticking to the inner pot to avoid the BURN alert.
• Close the lid on the pot, and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
• Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set the timer to 4 minutes (If not soaking millets, set the timer to 6 minutes). When the instant pot beeps, do a Natural pressure release.
• Lastly, add grated coconut, coriander leaves, and lime juice and mix well.
• Serve Instant Pot Little Millet Upma with coconut chutney and chai.

What to Serve with Little Millet Upma ?

Serve Little Millet Upma with yogurt or coconut chutney; you can also eat it as it is.

Tips & Variations

• Soaking reduces cooking time. So soak the little millet for at least 15 minutes.
• If you are in a hurry and do not have time to soak, add 1.5 cups of water while cooking for ½ cup of little millet, i.e., [3:1] ratio for the stovetop pot method.
• Replace little millets with any available variety of millets.
• You can add any vegetables of your choice.
• Increase or decrease spice according to your preference.
• You can make upma without vegetables and onions too.

Conclusion

Incorporating small millets into your diet can provide numerous health benefits, from improved digestion and diabetes management to enhanced heart health and weight management. Their impressive nutritional profile, coupled with their versatility in cooking, makes them an excellent addition to any diet. Whether you're looking to manage a specific health condition or simply want to make healthier food choices, small millets offer a nutritious and delicious solution.