Little Millet Upma | Samai Upma

Little Millet Upma, also known as Samai Upma, is a healthy and wholesome breakfast or dinner made with a few simple ingredients. It can be easily prepared on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot for a quick and satisfying meal.

Little millet upma was my first-ever millet recipe, and I'm glad I tried it. While people often talk about rava upma or vermicelli upma, this is a fantastic addition to the Upma family 😊. Its taste is quite similar to rava upma.

You can make it for breakfast or dinner. The variations are endless, and adding vegetables adds nutrition and color.

Little Millet in English, Samai in Tamil, Kutki in Hindi, Saame Akki in Kannada, Chama in Malayalam, and Sama in Telugu is a very healthy and nutritious variety of millet.

I have made a few recipes with millets such as millet pongal, millet fried rice, little millet lemon rice, bajra khichdi (pearl millet khichdi), and millet curd rice. But there are a lot of recipes to make with these wonder grains.

How to Make Little Millet/Samai Upma Recipe

Firstly, wash ½ cup of little millet and soak it in water for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.

In a pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon jeera seeds, 1 teaspoon of urad dal and 1 teaspoon chana dal. Saute till the dal turns light golden.

Then add 2 green chilies (chopped), 1 teaspoon grated ginger, a few curry leaves, and 1 pinch of hing. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

Then add 1 medium onion (finely chopped). Saute for a minute or two till the onion turns slightly brown.

Next, add 1 cup of finely chopped mixed veggies (like carrot, peas, and capsicum), and salt to taste. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

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 30 minutes, it reduced the cooking time.

Once the little millet is fully cooked (until all the water has been absorbed, thoroughly cooked, and looks grainy), turn off the gas. Then, stir in the 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons freshly grated coconut, and 2 tablespoons coriander leaves.

Lastly, mix well and serve little millet upma (samai upma) hot with coriander coconut chutney.

Storage Suggestions

• Store: Leftover millet upma can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or container for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: Sprinkle some water and reheat in a microwave or cook on the stovetop until warm. If frozen, thaw it on the kitchen counter for a few hours before reheating.

Tips & Variations

• Soaking reduces cooking time. So soak the little millet for at least 30 minutes.
• If you are in a hurry and do not have time to soak, add 1 ½ cups of water while cooking for ½ cup of little millet, i.e., [3:1] ratio for the stovetop pot method.
• You can replace the little millets with any available variety of millets, such as foxtail millet, barnyard millet, or kodo millet.
• You can also add other vegetables of your choice, such as broccoli, green beans, and sweet corn.

More Indian Millet Recipes

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