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    Home » Siru Thaniyangal | Millets » Samai Paruppu Saadam | Little Millet Lentil Rice | Kongu Nadu special

    Samai Paruppu Saadam | Little Millet Lentil Rice | Kongu Nadu special

    Posted on April 5, 2021 · Last Updated on April 5, 2021 · By Srividhya G · 25 Comments

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    arisi paruppu sadam collage with title for pinterest

    Samai paruppu sadam – My take on the Kongu Nadu-special arisi paruppu sadam with little millet. Quick, comforting, and healthy one-pot meal!

    arisi paruppu sadam served in kadai with papad, raita and arbi roast placed on a rustric tray

    Arisi paruppu sadam, or the lentil rice, is one of the popular recipes from the Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu. It’s a quick one-pot meal prepared with rice and toor dal, and I replaced rice with a little millet. 

    It’s a perfect weekday dinner or lunch box recipe that you can prepare easily in the pressure cooker. Serve it with pickle or raita or papad or any veggie curry and make a complete meal. 

    Kongu Nadu Cuisine

    It’s hard to generalize Indian cuisine, and we all know India is known for its several regional cuisines. I am just exploring the ones from Tamil Nadu. I know I have a long way to go, but I am trying. :-)

    Kongu Nadu or the Kongu region is the western part of Tamil Nadu. According to the wiki, Kongu Nadu comprises the modern-day Coimbatore District, Nilgiri District, Tirupur District, Erode District, Namakkal District, Salem Karur District, Dharmapuri District, Krishnagiri District.

    I want to thank my friend S, who is from Udumalaipet (Kongu region), for sharing these authentic and traditional recipes. I have shared kollu kadaiyal (horsegram stew) and brinjal and cowpeas kuzhambu from the Kongu Nadu region, and here is the next one. 

    Arisi Paruppu Sadam with millet

    All you have to do is prepare a basic tempering and saute some onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Then add the millet and toor dal along with some spices. And pressure cook them.

    samai paruppu sadam in a kadai bowl with spoon inside with side dishes

    The spices are very minimal, and you can always adjust according to your preference. I followed the recipe as mentioned by my friend and went with the same set of spices but adjusted it according to our taste preference. 

    It doesn’t call for any veggies making it a perfect meal when you are out of veggies. :-) 

    Dietary specifications & serving suggestions

    It’s a nut-free and vegan dish by nature. If you are not particular about vegan, you can use ghee just before serving. Skip asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida for a gluten-free version. You can serve it with any spicy vegetable roast like potato roast or yam roast. Or with any raita or papad or even pickle. 

    I served it with arbi roast(yet to share here on the blog), urad dal flour raita, and papad. 

    Now without any further ado, let me share how I made this Coimbatore special arisi paruppu sadam with little millet.

    How to make samai paruppu sadam in the pressure cooker:

    • Wash the little millet and toor dal and soak in water for about 30 minutes and drain them.
    soaked millet and toor dal
    • In a pressure cooker or pressure pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. As they start to splutter, add the hing, cloves, cinnamon, and fry for a minute. Now add the chopped garlic, onion, and curry leaves.
    tempering and sauteing onions
    • Cook until the onion turns translucent. Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
    adding tomatoes and spices
    • Mix them well and cook until the tomatoes are tender. (As we are going to pressure cook, we don’t need to cook until they turn mushy)
    onion tomato mix
    • Now add the soaked little millet and toor dal.
    adding millet and toor dal
    • Add 4 cups of water. As we like mushy consistency, I went with 4 cups of water. Check for salt and spice. If required, adjust accordingly and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
    adding water
    • Let the pressure cool down and mix well.
    cooked arisi paruppu sadam
    • Serve hot topped up with a dollop of ghee and with raita or pickle or with any spicy curry or papad. I served it with arbi roast, dangar pachadi, and papad. 
    risi paruppu sadam served in kadai with papad, raita and arbi roast placed on a rustric tray

    Recipe Notes:

    • Instead of little millet, you can use rice or any other millet like kodo, foxtail, or barnyard millet.
    • Adjust the salt, green chili, and red chili powder according to your taste.
    • For this proportion, up to 5 garlic cloves can be added. But as per our preference, I went only with two garlic cloves.
    • Cinnamon and cloves are optional.

    Explore other millet recipes

    • Pearl Millet Gruel / Kambu Koozh
    • Barnyard Millet Neer Dosa
    • Little Millet Palak Corn Pulao | Instant Pot Spinach Pulao with Millet
    • Varagu Arisi Kootanchoru | Instant Pot Millet Kootanchoru

    PS: Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try this samai paruppu sadam recipe, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas!

    square image of arisi paruppu sadam served in kadai with papad, raita and arbi roast placed on a rustric tray
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    5 from 1 vote

    Samai Paruppu Saadam | Little Millet Lentil Rice | Kongu Nadu special

    Samai paruppu sadam – My take on the Kongu Nadu-special arisi paruppu sadam with little millet. Quick, comforting, and healthy one-pot meal!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: KonguNadu
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1tbsp=15ml; 1 tsp= 5ml;

    • 1 cup little millet samai arisi
    • ½ cup toor dal
    • 4 cups water plus required for soaking
    • 2 tsps oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • ¼ tsp asafoetida
    • 2 cloves
    • ½ inch cinnamon piece
    • 1 cup onion chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 to mato chopped
    • ½ tsp turmeric powder
    • ¾ tsp red chili powder or to taste
    • 1 green chili
    • 1.25 tsp salt or to taste
    • 2 tsps ghee for serving optional

    Instructions

    • Wash the little millet and toor dal and soak in water for about 30 minutes and drain them.
      soaked millet and toor dal
    • In a pressure cooker or pressure pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. As they start to splutter, add the hing, cloves, cinnamon, and fry for a minute. Now add the chopped garlic, onion, and curry leaves.
      tempering and sauteing onions
    • Cook until the onion turns translucent. Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
      adding tomatoes and spices
    • Mix them well and cook until the tomatoes are tender. (As we are going to pressure cook, we don’t need to cook until they turn mushy)
      onion tomato mix
    • Now add the soaked little millet and toor dal.
      adding millet and toor dal
    • Add 4 cups of water. As we like mushy consistency, I went with 4 cups of water. Check for salt and spice. If required, adjust accordingly and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
      adding water
    • Let the pressure cool down and mix well.
      cooked arisi paruppu sadam
    • Serve hot topped up with a dollop of ghee and with raita or pickle or with any spicy curry or papad. I served it with arbi roast, dangar pachadi, and papad.
      square image of arisi paruppu sadam served in kadai with papad, raita and arbi roast placed on a rustric tray

    Notes

    • Instead of little millet, you can use rice or any other millet like kodo, foxtail, or barnyard millet.
    • Adjust the salt, green chili, and red chili powder according to your taste.
    • For this proportion, up to 5 garlic cloves can be added. But as per our preference, I went only with two garlic cloves.
    • Cinnamon and cloves are optional.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel

    Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2016, but now, it is updated with new pics and recipe cards.

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    Filed Under: Blogging Marathon, Siru Thaniyangal | Millets, Variety Rice Tagged With: arisi paruppu saadam, arisi paruppu sadam, authentic recipes, Bachelors recipe, Blogging Marathon, Diabetic Friendly recipes, easy recipes, Healthy, how to prepare arisi paruppu saadam, kongu nadu special, lunch box recipes, one pot meal, pressure cooker, samai paruppu sadam, samai parupu sadam, traditional recipes, weekday cooking

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dido says

      April 18, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Srividhya: Thanks for the recipe. How would I go about this dish using the stove-top method? ~ Dido.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        April 19, 2021 at 12:24 pm

        Sorry for the delayed reply. You can make it using the stove-top method. Use the same water measure or one cup extra. I would recommend cooking the dal partially first and then add the millet and cook. It should take about 20 to 22 minutes but that depends totally on the dal. Masoor dal should be quick though.

        Reply
    2. Dido says

      April 13, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      Thanks for the recipe, Vidhya. Now, were I to go in for the stove-top method, what would be (1) the quantities of ingredients to be used, especially the water? (2) the length of cooking time? Thanks, Dido.

      Reply
    3. VEENA KRISHNAKUMAR says

      August 10, 2016 at 4:01 am

      Wow!!1This is one healthy dish

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        August 10, 2016 at 9:18 am

        Thanks Veena

        Reply
    4. Pavani says

      August 09, 2016 at 12:31 pm

      What a nutritious and delicious dish with millets. Looks awesome.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        August 09, 2016 at 6:22 pm

        Thanks Pavani.. :-)

        Reply
    5. Priya Suresh says

      July 20, 2016 at 12:08 am

      Lovely twist with little millet, such a tempting and healthy Paruppu saadham.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 20, 2016 at 3:50 pm

        :-) Thanks Priya.

        Reply
    6. Smruti | Herbivore Cucina says

      July 15, 2016 at 4:49 pm

      Wow this is lovely!! I loved the way you served raita and pickle!

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 17, 2016 at 9:41 am

        Thanks a lot

        Reply
    7. CHCooks says

      July 14, 2016 at 3:35 am

      Yumm! Looks lovely :)

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 14, 2016 at 9:47 am

        Thanks CH.

        Reply
    8. Vaishali Sabnani says

      July 12, 2016 at 7:10 pm

      Never worked with this millet, looks to be interesting and healthy.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 12, 2016 at 10:06 pm

        Thanks a lot Vaishali. :-)

        Reply
    9. Padma Veeranki / Masalakorb says

      July 12, 2016 at 12:13 pm

      I love such healthy one pot meals for quick lunch…good one :)

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 12, 2016 at 2:33 pm

        Thanks a lot :-)

        Reply
    10. ruchi indu says

      July 12, 2016 at 1:42 am

      very healthy dish. Should be loved by kids also

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 12, 2016 at 9:47 am

        yeah.. thanks :-)

        Reply
    11. sushma says

      July 11, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      Nice and healthy rice dish.

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 11, 2016 at 9:25 pm

        Thanks Sushma

        Reply
    12. Srivalli says

      July 11, 2016 at 4:07 am

      I love these special dishes that are so healthy too..good to see samai being used..

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 11, 2016 at 11:10 am

        Thanks a lot Valli. :-)

        Reply
    13. Padma says

      July 10, 2016 at 8:52 am

      hi vidhya, I am just so amazed that i barely know cuisines from india, or TN. we just think we know it all when we are younger….

      Reply
      • Srividhya G says

        July 11, 2016 at 11:09 am

        Hi Padma, how are you doing? Long time. (I so wish Kavitha can be here soon) I completely agree. Lot of lesser known cuisines from India. Need to explore more.

        Reply

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