Sama or samvat is also commonly called as vrat ke chawal. since during fasting we abstain from cereal grains and to make any rice based dishes we use samvat or sama grains instead of rice.
These are not a kind of rice variety or even associated with rice. Basically they are from the millet family. The English name for Sama ke chawal is Barnyard millet. the other Indian names for barnyard millet is vari, varai, sanwa, samwa and swang. They are small tiny millet creamish grains as shown in the pic below.
Ingredients
- ▢1 cup sama ke chawal or vrat ke chawal or samvat rice or barnyard millet
- ▢1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢½ inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- ▢2-3 cloves
- ▢2 green cardamoms
- ▢3-4 whole black pepper
- ▢½ inch ginger + 1 green chili, crushed in a mortar-pestle
- ▢8-10 curry leaves
- ▢1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
- ▢2 tablespoon peanuts
- ▢2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ▢8-10 whole cashews
- ▢8-10 almonds
- ▢2 tablespoon oil or ghee
- ▢2.5 to 3 cups water
- ▢1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish
- ▢rock salt (edible and food grade) as required (or sendha namak)
- ▢lemon juice as required
- ▢lemon wedges as required
Instructions
- Rinse the sama or barnyard millet a couple of times in water like the way we rinse rice.
- Soak in enough water for 20-30 minutes.
- Dry roast the peanuts on a pan or in the oven till they become crunchy.
- Coarsely powder them in a mortar-pestle or in a dry grinder.
- Heat oil or ghee.
- Add all the whole spices – cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black pepper.
- Saute till the oil become fragrant and the cumin crackles.
- Add the crushed ginger-green chili and saute for half a minute on a low flame.
- Add the cubed potatoes & curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and saute for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
- Now add the peanuts powder and stir.
- Drain the sama rice and add to the sauted mixture. stir.
- Add water and salt as required. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till the water is absorbed and the millet grains are cooked.
- When the pulao is cooking, you can dry roast the chopped cashews and almonds.
- When serving the samvat pulao, garnish with the dry fruits and coriander leaves.
- When serving also sprinkle some lemon juice in the pulao. You can also keep some lemon wedges by the side of the samvat pulao while serving.
Notes
1. If you are not making the samvat pulao for fasting, then you can add peas, cauliflower, beans to the pulao.
How to make vrat ke chawal ka pulao or samvat pulao
Preparation
1. Rinse 1 cup of sama ke chawal (barnyard millet or samvat rice) a couple of times in water like the way we rinse rice.
2. Soak in enough water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Dry roast 2 tablespoon peanuts on a pan or in the oven till they become crunchy.
4. Coarsely powder them in a mortar-pestle or in a dry grinder.
5. Measure all the ingredients and keep ready for making sama ke chawal ka pulao.
Making vrat ka pulao
6. Heat 2 tablespoon oil or ghee in a pan. I have used ghee.
7. Add all the whole spices – 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera), ½ inch cinnamon (dalchini), 2 to 3 cloves (Lavang), 2 green cardamoms (choti elaichi) and 3 to 4 whole black pepper (sabut kalimirch).
8. Saute till the oil become fragrant and the cumin crackles.
9. Then add the crushed ginger-green chili paste made from ½ inch ginger and 1 green chili. You can crush them in a mortar pestle.
10. Saute for half a minute on a low flame.
11. Add 2 medium sized, cubed potatoes.
12. Also add 8 to 10 curry leaves and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.
13. Saute for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
14. Now add the peanuts powder.
15. Stir and mix well.
16. Drain the samvat rice and add them to the sauted mixture.
17. Stir well.
18. Add water as required.
19. Next add rock salt as required.
20. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till the water is absorbed and the millet grains are cooked.
21. When the pulao is cooking, you can dry roast 8 to 10 cashews and 8 to 10 chopped almonds.
22. When serving the samvat rice pulao, garnish with the dry fruits and coriander leaves. You can also sprinkle some lemon juice in the pulao or you can keep some lemon wedges by the side of the samvat pulao.
24. You can have vrat ke chawal ka pulao plain or with vrat ki kadhi or plain curd
