Thinai Sambar Sadam | How to make Foxtail Millet Sambar Sadam

Thinai Sambar Sadam is a delicious and healthy adaptation of our regular sambar Sadam with rice. This one-pot meal is loaded with vegetables and is very filling.

When I was planning my list, I couldn’t think of anything else for T other than Tahir, and I wasn’t very keen on making it as I have some versions shared already. So I settled with Thinai and didn’t change. I was keen on making it for two reasons, one that this millet is always available at home, and the other reason that I actually wanted to do a complete series with millet. Since that didn’t work out, I wanted at least one included.

I almost had something like Thinai Dal Bhaat. When I thought about it, I felt I could easily make a Sambar Sadam with it and not go with fancy names. So here I have, our regular Sambar rice made using Thinai or Foxtail Millet.

When it comes to cooking millets, sufficient soaking is essential and I mostly go with a 1:2 ratio of water when I am just cooking it. However, since this is a one-pot meal with dal and vegetables in it, we will need more water than twice the amount.

I soaked the millet for 15 mins and pressure cooked the toor dal first and then again with vegetables. While there are certain vegetables that make a wonderful medley in Sambar Sadam, you should take care of either handling it properly or not adding it at all.

Like I included about 6 to 7 pieces of Drumstick, which got overcooked and only the outer hard part got left out. It becomes tough to remove this in the final cooked dish. Also because this has a cap of 30 mins, it's hard to have all these things into consideration. I think I did go a bit more than 30 mins to get the dish done.

As I was making something else, I wasn’t able to fully focus on this. Still, this is a quick dish to make if you plan the vegetables and not get fixed on the one-pot meal. For after the dal and vegetables are cooked, when you adding the foxtail millet to be cooked, it becomes tough to gauge the water requirement. So if you can either have it cooked ahead and finally adding the vegetables, your problem is solved.

Anyway, this dish was a hit and I would surely be making it again. Thinai Sambar Sadam is the pick for T in the AtoZ Quick Under 30 Minutes, which is my theme in the Biryanis, Pulaos, Khichdi, and Mixed Rice, where I am doing Quick Under 30 Minutes Meals. If you want to read some elaborate Biryanis, check out what I have for T in Spice your Life!

A to Z Quick Under 30 Minutes Meals

A for Achari Chana Vegetable Pulao
B for Bhuga Chawara
C for Cholia Chawal
D for Dal Khichdi
E for Ellu Sadam
F for Fodnicha Bhaat
G for Green Garlic Pulao
H for Hare Chane Ka Pulav
I for Ivygourd Masala Rice
J for Jevarisi Chitranna
K for Kadam Bhog
L for Lilva Pulao
M for Methi Matar wara Chawaran
N for Neyichor
O for Oralu Chitranna
P for Pariba Khechudi
Q for Quinoa Biryani
R for Raw Mango Rice
S for Shahzeera Pulav

PIN This for Later!Step By Step Pictures for making Thinai Sambar Sadam 

Thinai Sambar Sadam | How to make Foxtail Millet Sambar Sadam

Ingredients Needed:

1 cup Foxtail Millet / Thinai
1/2 cup Toor Dal
A Pinch Turmeric Powder
1/2 cup Potato
1 small Carrot
10 Beans
3 nos Brinjal
6 to 7 pieces Drumstick
2 medium Tomato
Salt to taste
2 tsp Sambar Powder
2-inch Tamarind extracted

For Tempering

2 tsp Cooking Oil
1 tsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Few Fenugreek Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
10 Shallots / Sambar Onions
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
Handful Coriander Leaves
10 Cashew Nuts
A Pinch Asofeotida / HIng

Wash and soak the millet for 15 mins.
In a pressure cooker, take the toor dal, turmeric powder, enough water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Remove the pressure slowly, add chopped carrots, beans, and potato. Pressure cook for one whistle.
Let the pressure out, add chopped tomatoes, and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
Add 1/ 2 cup more water, add brinjal and drumstick.
Now add the drained millet, 1.5 cups of water, and mix well.
Add sambar powder, tamarind extract, salt.
Mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let the steam fall, and mix everything well.

For Tempering

Heat a small pan with oil and ghee, temper with spices.
Next add hing and the peeled onions, curry leaves, and cashew nuts.
When everything gets cooked, pour this over the cooked sambar sadam.

Notes:

Handle the pressure cooker with care, each time always either let the pressure fall down naturally or you can slowly release the pressure. However, it's important you know how a pressure cooker works before you attempt any of these things.
I mostly run the tap water over the pressure cooker for a quick release and that’s how I managed within the 30 mins mark. It's not for something who has not worked with a pressure cooker.
If you want to control how the millets get cooked, you can pressure cook the dal first, next add millets, and finally the vegetables. This way your vegetables don’t get too mashed up.
If you are not bothered about using another vessel, you could get the vegetables boiled separately and add them finally. Else you can have the millet cooked separately and add finally.
Since we are looking at a gooey texture, it doesn’t really matter how overcooked each ingredient is.
In my experience with cooking different millets, I haven’t found any major difference in terms of water proportion. I mostly soak for 15 to 20 mins and pressure cook as regular rice.

Recipe

Print Pin

No ratings yet

Thinai Sambar Sadam | How to make Foxtail Millet Sambar Sadam

Thinai Sambar Sadam is a delicious and healthy adaptation of our regular sambar sadam with rice. This one pot meal is loaded with vegetables and is very filling.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Tamil Nadu

Keyword Dinner Ideas

By Cook Method Pressure Cooker

Occasion Everyday Meal

By Diet Vegetarian

Dish Type Millets

Author Srivalli

Ingredients

For the Sambar Sadam

• 1 cup Foxtail Millet / Thinai/ Korralu
• 1/2 cup Toor Dal
• A Pinch Turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup Potato
• 1 small Carrot
• 10 Beans
• 3 nos Brinjal
• 6 to 7 pieces Drumbstick
• 2 medium Tomato
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp Sambar powder
• 2 inch Tamarind extracted

For Tempering

• 2 tsp Cooking Oil
• 1 tsp Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Urad dal
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• Few Fenugreek Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 10 Shallots / Sambar Onions
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• Handful Coriander Leaves
• 10 Cashew Nuts
• A Pinch Asofeotida / HIng

Instructions

• Wash and soak the millet for 15 mins.
• In a pressure cooker, take the toor dal, turmeric powder, enough water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Remove the pressure slowly, add chopped carrots, beans and potato. Pressure cook for one whistle.
• Let the pressure out, add chopped tomatoes and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
• Add 1/2 cup more water, add brinjal and drumstick.
• Now add the drained millet, 1.5 cups of water and mix well.
• Add sambar powder, tamarind extract, salt.
• Mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let the steam fall, and mix everything well.

For Tempering

• Heat a small pan with oil and ghee, temper with spices.
• Next add hing and the peeled onions, curry leaves, and cashew nuts.
• When everything gets cooked, pour this over the cooked sambar sadam.

Notes

Handle the pressure cooker with care, each time always either let the pressure fall down naturally or you can slowly release the pressure. However, it's important you know how a pressure cooker works before you attempt any of these things.

I mostly run the tap water over the pressure cooker for a quick release and that’s how I managed within the 30 mins mark. It's not for something who has not worked with a pressure cooker.

If you want to control how the millets get cooked, you can pressure cook the dal first, next add millets, and finally the vegetables. This way your vegetables don’t get too mashed up.

If you are not bothered about using another vessel, you could get the vegetables boiled separately and add finally. Else you can have the millet cooked separately and add finally.

Since we are looking at a gooey texture, it doesn’t really matter how overcooked each ingredient is.

In my experience with cooking different millets, I haven’t found any major difference in terms of water proportion. I mostly soak for 15 to 20 mins and pressure cook as regular rice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @cooking4all or tag #cooking4all!

The entire collection of "Biryani / Pulao / Khichadi" Festival - A to Z Biryani / Pulao / Khichadi on SYL & A to Z Quick 30 Minutes Meals on C4AS

[inlinkz_linkup id=817872 mode=1]

If you are looking for some breakfast dishes to make with millets, then this Foxtail Millet Idli Dosa Recipe, or this Kuthiraivali Dosai will be great!