சாமை Saamai arisi kozhukattai – Steamed little millet dumplings.

After shifting to this new place I got introduced to all small grains (siru dhaanya vagaigal) of Tamilnadu. Myself and Amma have tried a set of recipes and now have tried them with Varagu (Kod millet), Saamai (little millet), Thinai (Fox tail Millet) and Kudhirai Vaali.

All these grains were available in almost all grocery shops in the southern part of Tamilnadu. People are used to eat it as rice with different Gravies/Kulambus. But I did found them more blonde and hence they need a much spicy kulambu to eat with. Hence I started trying out other type of recipes. Long back I have added a sweet fritter with Fox tail millet.

Now I have added a Kozhukattai (steamed dumpling) with Saamai arisi and surprisingly it tasted very nice and almost equivalent to the rice kozhukattai. Only slight variation to the method and amount of water.

I would now post a series of all my successful attempts under “Siru Dhaanya Samayal” category.

 

Saamai arisi kozhukattai / Little millet steamed dumplings

Ingredients needed:

Saamai arisi / Little millet – 1 Cup (Use the one with the skin removed)

Onions chopped – 3/4 Cup

Green chillies chopped – 1 Table spoon

To Season :

Peanut oil – 3 Table spoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Chana dal – 1/4 Cup

Urad dal – 1 Table spoon

Asafoetida – 1/2 teaspoon (powdered)

How to make ?

Wash the Saamai arisi in 2 changes of water. Don’t wash it until the water runs clear as it removes the essential nutrients. Soak this for 1/2 hour. Grind it to a coarse paste. Add 1 Cup of water and mix well. Keep this aside.

Heat a thick bottomed kadai and add the oil. Add the items under “To season” in the same order and fry till the dals get golden. Now add the chopped onions and chillies and saute in low flame till the onions turn translucent. Sprinkle 1/2 tea spoon of salt and mix well. Now pour the saamai arisi batter and cook in low flame with constant stirring. Just turn the contents for 1 minute and the batter would turn a dim white color. One you do not see white streaks switch off the stove and cool it under a fan. Once the dough is warm enough to touch apply little oil in your palms and make small balls (size of a ping-pong ball). Once you make balls of all the dough (Until you do this keep the dough covered so that it does not become dry) arrange them in an oiled plate and steam cook them for 20-25 minutes.