Photo: Gannu03 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tamilnadu · Breakfast

Samai Pongal (சாமை பொங்கல்)

Traditional 73. Samai Pongal recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• ¼ cup split yellow moong dal (pasi paruppu)
• 3 cups water (plus ½ cup extra if needed)
• ½ cup whole milk (for creaminess)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp ghee (divided — 2 tbsp for tempering, 1 tbsp to finish)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
• 1.5-inch fresh ginger, finely grated
• 8–10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp whole black pepper (separate from cracked — added whole)
• 2 dried red chilies, broken
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts, halved
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)

👩‍🍳 How to make Samai Pongal

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker base, dry roast little millet on medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until nutty and slightly dried.
2. Remove.
3. Dry roast moong dal for 1.5 minutes until light golden and aromatic.
4. The roasting enhances flavor.
5. Return roasted millet and dal to pot.
6. Add 3 cups water and ½ cup milk.
7. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 20–22 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until both millet and dal are very soft and merged into a thick, unified porridge — the same overcooked, creamy consistency as rice pongal.
8. Add salt.
9. Mash gently with the back of a wooden spoon.
10. Add extra water ¼ cup at a time if too thick.
11. In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee over medium heat.
12. Add cashew halves — fry 1 minute until golden.
13. Add cumin seeds — fry 15 seconds.
14. Add whole black peppercorns and cracked black pepper — fry 10 seconds.
15. Add dried red chilies — fry 10 seconds.
16. Add curry leaves — sizzle 10 seconds.
17. Add grated ginger — fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
18. Add asafoetida — stir 5 seconds.
19. Pour hot ghee tempering over the cooked samai pongal.
20. Add remaining 1 tbsp ghee.
21. Stir to combine.
22. Taste and adjust salt.
23. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
24. Samai pongal has a slightly different texture from rice pongal — very slightly firmer but similarly creamy.

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