The name was told by an anonymous reader on my sama ke chawal ki idli post . It was only then i got to know it's botanical name too, it is Echinochloa colona now that i know, thanks to my well informed readers.
I have been overwhelmed seeing the hits on my blog since the last week or so. The vrat ka khana recipes are getting great numbers of hits and many readers are interested in knowing whether sama/samak and buckwheat are healthy options. Yes these are very healthy grains and our fasting days are an excuse to make ourselves educated about these super foods.
As i have mentioned earlier buckwheat is also a very nutritious grain and should be consumed frequently , not only during the navratri fasting.
A tomato based soup with buckwheat groats can be a great fasting food too, if sendha namak is used instead of table salt.
Fritters or savory pancakes made with buckwheat flour are great fasting options too , made healthy wth vegetables they are perfect healthy food..
Motivated by the flurry of hits to my vrat ka khana recipes, i made a sama ki khichdi today so that my readers can get all the variety to the fasting menu. That was all i needed when i used to fast few couple of years ago. Variety. Sama ka chawal, singhare ka atta and kuttu ka atta and whole kuttu or kuttu ka daliya used to be my staple those days. Saboodana is crime (read empty carbohydrates and that to the most refined type) during fasting and otherwise too , although saboodana khichdi is what most people prefer when cooking for fasting food.
Saboodana khichdi is very common and there are many recipes available on the internet for that. But we should be aware that sago pearls are refined carbs and should not be used abundantly.Saboodana is crime (read empty carbohydrates and that to the most refined type) during fasting and otherwise too , although saboodana khichdi is what most people prefer when cooking for fasting food.
These sama ke chawal is a whole grain full of complex carbs and fiber too and can be used for daily cooking . I have made dosas, idlies , kheer and khichdis with sama and all of them taste great.
ingredients...
sama ke chawal soaked overnight 1 cup (it gets doubled after soaking)
chopped tomatoes 1 cup
a few springs of curry patta
chopped green chillies and ginger as per taste
salt n pepper to taste (use sendha namak or lahori namak, called rock salt in English)
ghee 1-2 tbsp
cumin seeds 2 tsp
procedure...
Heat the ghee in a pan ( i use my iron kadai) and throw in the cumin seeds, wait till they splutter.
Add the ginger, green chillies and curry patta let them fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and fry till the tomatoes are mushy.
Add the soaked and drained sama ke chawal , 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan. Lower the flame and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
Check if you want it softer , add a tbsp or two of more water if required n cook again. Otherwise fluff up and serve immediately.
This khichdi , although i would like to call it a tahiri or tomato rice, keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days and tastes great after reheating in the microwave with a sprinkling of water.
Sama or samak ka chawal or Echinochloa is the quinoa of India. Doesn't it look inviting?
This kind of khichdi or tahiri can be made using any vegetables and any flavors you like. Keeping some soaked grains in your fridge will help you to assemble it quickly.
I had promised a friend to post a singhade ke atte ki roti (water chestnut flour flatbread) , that i am planning to do tomorrow . I have told this recipe on phone , on facebook chats and even like a story telling too .... you must be aware i like talking about food ...and many of my friends have tried this recipe with great satisfaction. This singhare ke atte ki roti is a soft and hearty chapati made with water chestnut flour and can be a great option for gluten intolerant people, specially those who crave for chapatis.
Stay tuned in....Enjoy navratri fasting....Or an excuse to eat some healthy grains right now....
As i have mentioned earlier buckwheat is also a very nutritious grain and should be consumed frequently , not only during the navratri fasting.
A tomato based soup with buckwheat groats can be a great fasting food too, if sendha namak is used instead of table salt.
Fritters or savory pancakes made with buckwheat flour are great fasting options too , made healthy wth vegetables they are perfect healthy food..
Motivated by the flurry of hits to my vrat ka khana recipes, i made a sama ki khichdi today so that my readers can get all the variety to the fasting menu. That was all i needed when i used to fast few couple of years ago. Variety. Sama ka chawal, singhare ka atta and kuttu ka atta and whole kuttu or kuttu ka daliya used to be my staple those days. Saboodana is crime (read empty carbohydrates and that to the most refined type) during fasting and otherwise too , although saboodana khichdi is what most people prefer when cooking for fasting food.
Saboodana khichdi is very common and there are many recipes available on the internet for that. But we should be aware that sago pearls are refined carbs and should not be used abundantly.Saboodana is crime (read empty carbohydrates and that to the most refined type) during fasting and otherwise too , although saboodana khichdi is what most people prefer when cooking for fasting food.
These sama ke chawal is a whole grain full of complex carbs and fiber too and can be used for daily cooking . I have made dosas, idlies , kheer and khichdis with sama and all of them taste great.
ingredients...
sama ke chawal soaked overnight 1 cup (it gets doubled after soaking)
chopped tomatoes 1 cup
a few springs of curry patta
chopped green chillies and ginger as per taste
salt n pepper to taste (use sendha namak or lahori namak, called rock salt in English)
ghee 1-2 tbsp
cumin seeds 2 tsp
procedure...
Add the ginger, green chillies and curry patta let them fry for 30 seconds or so. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and fry till the tomatoes are mushy.
Add the soaked and drained sama ke chawal , 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan. Lower the flame and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
This khichdi , although i would like to call it a tahiri or tomato rice, keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days and tastes great after reheating in the microwave with a sprinkling of water.
This kind of khichdi or tahiri can be made using any vegetables and any flavors you like. Keeping some soaked grains in your fridge will help you to assemble it quickly.
I had promised a friend to post a singhade ke atte ki roti (water chestnut flour flatbread) , that i am planning to do tomorrow . I have told this recipe on phone , on facebook chats and even like a story telling too .... you must be aware i like talking about food ...and many of my friends have tried this recipe with great satisfaction. This singhare ke atte ki roti is a soft and hearty chapati made with water chestnut flour and can be a great option for gluten intolerant people, specially those who crave for chapatis.
Stay tuned in....Enjoy navratri fasting....Or an excuse to eat some healthy grains right now....
