Samak Rice Pulao is a simple, healthy and tasty pulao made during Hindu fasting days like Navratri and Ekadashi. Also known as samak/sama/samvat/samo/bhagar and Barnyard Millet in English, this is a popular ingredient used in dishes that are made during the religious fasting days in India.
Rinse the samak rice or barnyard millet a couple of times in water like the way we rinse rice.
Soak in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes.
After 20 to 30 minutes, drain all the water and set the soaked barnyard millet aside.
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.
Crush the ginger and green chilli to a paste in a mortar-pestle. You can crush to a semi-fine or a fine paste.
Make Samak Rice Pulao
Heat oil or ghee in a 3 litre pressure cooker. Keep the heat to low or medium-low.
Add all the whole spices - cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black peppercorns.
Fry till the oil become fragrant and the cumin crackles.
Add the crushed ginger-green chilli paste and sauté for half a minute on a low heat.
Add the cubed potatoes, curry leaves, coriander leaves and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat.
Now add the peanuts powder and stir to combine. Keep heat to a low.
Add the samak rice to the sautéed mixture. Mix and stir very well.
Add water and salt as required. Pressure cook on medium heat for 4 to 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 Samak Rice Pulao, garnish with the the roasted nuts 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.2. I wanted the millet grains to have a good soft texture so have added 3 cups water. Please reduce the water to 2.5 cups for a more separate texture.