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Sama ke chawal ki kheer

Barnyard millet milk pudding

Sama, also called samak or vrat ke chawal, is barnyard millet, a tiny grain that North Indian families treat as rice on fast days because it isn't a true cereal for the purposes of the vrat. Cooked slowly in milk, the grains swell, burst and release their starch, so the kheer turns thick and creamy in about twenty minutes, much faster than rice kheer, with a mild, nutty flavour. Ghee-fried cashews and raisins add crunch and sweetness. It is made for Navratri, Ekadashi and Karva Chauth, and served warm after the evening puja or cold the next day. Sama sticks to the pan quickly, so use a heavy-based pan and keep stirring once the grains go in. Chef's tip: rinse the sama in several changes of water until it runs clear; the dusty starch on the grains makes the kheer gluey and slightly bitter.

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