What is Sanwa Millet, Sama, Barnyard Millet? glossary, uses, benefits 

Sama, often known as Barnyard Millet  holds a significant place in the Indian culinary and religious landscape. In the Indian context, it's widely recognized as a "fasting grain" or "vrat ka chawal", playing a crucial role during religious fasting periods like Navratri, Ekadashi, and Mahashivratri, when regular grains like rice and wheat are avoided. This tiny, gluten-free grain is a powerhouse of nutrition and has been consumed in various forms across different regions of India for centuries.

In North India, sama is predominantly consumed during fasts. It is commonly prepared as a savory khichdi, often mixed with potatoes, peanuts, and rock salt (sendha namak), or as a sweet kheer (porridge). Its quick cooking time and light texture make it an ideal substitute for rice. Beyond fasting, it's gaining popularity as a healthy alternative for regular meals due to its nutritional benefits, especially among those seeking gluten-free or low-carb options.

Moving to South India, sama is also known by names like kuthiraivali in Tamil, udalu in Telugu, oodalu in Kannada, and shyama in Malayalam. Here, it is incorporated into daily cooking beyond just fasting days. It's used to prepare wholesome dishes such as upma, dosa, idli, and even healthy alternatives to rice dishes. Its versatility allows it to blend seamlessly into various traditional recipes, offering a distinct texture and earthy flavor.

Across other parts of India, sama is valued for its nutritional profile and ease of cultivation, particularly in drought-prone regions. In Maharashtra, it's often called bhagar and is central to fasting meals, similar to North India. In some tribal and rural areas, it forms a staple part of the diet, consumed as a wholesome grain. Its adaptability makes it an important crop for food security in diverse agricultural zones across the country.

Nutritionally, sama is a highly beneficial grain. It is naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. It is rich in dietary fiber, aiding digestion and promoting satiety, which is beneficial for weight management. It also has a low glycemic index, making it a favorable choice for diabetics as it helps manage blood sugar levels. Furthermore, it's a good source of iron, protein, and various minerals, contributing to overall health and well-being.

The various uses of sama across India underscore its importance. From being a staple during religious fasts to a healthy alternative in everyday meals, it embodies resilience and nutritional value. Its ability to thrive in challenging environmental conditions, coupled with its myriad health benefits and culinary adaptability, ensures that sama or Barnyard Millet remains a significant and cherished grain in the diverse Indian food landscape.

In India sanwa has great importance during fasting days, especially in Navratri, when most other cereals are a part of ‘NO’ list. It’s quite economical and available at most grocery stores under different names. Here’s what sanwa is termed as in different languages across India….

Bengali – Shamula

Gujarati – Sama

Hindi – Shama

Marathi – Shamul

Tamil – Kudirai Valu

Telugu – Bonta Chamalu

Other names – Barnyard Millet / Samvat ke Chawal.

Also known as

Barnyard Millet, Sama

In many parts of the world, sanwa millet has traditionally been used in food products and various food items like porridge, unleavened bread, cookies, cakes, couscous, and malted beverages.

Boiled sanwa millet is commonly used to make porridge.

How to select Sanwa Millet, Sama Barnyard Millet

• The grains should be clean, dust free and without any infestations or foul odour.

• It is better to opt for organic grains, if possible.

Culinary uses of Sanwa Millet, Sama Barnyard Millet

Sanwa millet or sama is great option to use for breakfast in India. Given below are some super recipes to try. Lots of Indians fast on Tuesdays and Thursday and cook dishes using sama as they dont eat grains like wheat, dals and rice on those days.

Sanwa Panki: Panki is an authentic Gujarati dish made by cooking batter between banana leaves. While pankis made with rice flour batter are the most common, we have made a fasting variant using Sanwa millet.

Faarali Idli Sambhar: A faraali version of your fluffy rice cake is all you need during your next Faraal. The accompanied sambhar is also a healthy variant made using vegetable puree.

Sanwa Dosa: Sanwa dosa is a thin, crispy and tasty variant of dosa that can be savored during fasting days.

farali dosa recipe | faral dosa | sama rajgira dosa | rajgira dosa

Sweet Faraali Pancakes: Make these delicious, coconut flavored pancakes. Theses pancakes are soft, light and just with a hint of sweetness.

Here are some sama recipes which you can enjoy on your fasting days and festivals like Navratri, Maha Shivratri and Janmashtami. 

Sama Pulao: Rice being a staple food of India, it is almost consumed in one meal of the day. Missing rice during your fasts? Try making this Pulao and enjoy it with Rajgira Kadhi!

Sanwa flour is usually made into chappatis or rotis and served with vegetables.

• Sanwa is favoured by the gluten intolerant and is often cooked as porridge to be eaten alongside other foods.

• The grain is fairly neutral in flavour, and sometimes slightly sweet. This makes it well adapted to a variety of dishes, because, like tofu, sanwa absorbs flavours well.

• It can also be eaten plain.

• Sanwa millet is also used to prepare pancakes or vadas, which can be served with green chutney or curd.

How to store Sanwa Millet, Sama Barnyard Millet

Store sanwa grains in an airtight container and keep it in a cool and dry place.

Health benefits of Sanwa Millet, Sama Barnyard Millet

1. Brimming with Protein : Like most millets, sanwa millet is also high in protein. This protein is used by the body to maintain the health of cells and their maintenance. With 4.3 g of protein from ½ cup, sanwa millet is sure to give you a sense of fullness. Moreover, sanwa millet has the least calories and carbs as compared to other millets like jowar, bajra, ragi etc. Sanwa can be included by those on high protein diets.

2. Rich in Fiber : Sanwa has a whopping 6.9 g of fiber in ½ cup. Consumption of sanwa is sure to give you a high satiety value and help you cut back on calories from junk food thus helping in weight loss. But remember the fact, that though it has less carbs than most other millets, however those carbs are also quite substantial. Thus this grain cannot be included on a low carb diet. To balance its carbs, pair it with high fiber veggies like broccoli, green peas, carrot etc.

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Nutritive Information for Sanwa Millet, Sama, Barnyard Millet:

½ Cup of raw sanwa millet is about 70 grams

RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy – 215 calories

Protein – 4.3 g

Carbohydrate – 45.9 g

Fat – 1.5 g

Fiber – 6.9 g

Vitamins:

0.23 mg of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) = 20% of RDA ( (about 1.2 to 1.6 mg for men)

0.07 mg of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) = 7.3% of RDA (about 1.4 to 1.9 mg for men)

2.9 mg of Vitamin B3 = 31.5 % of RDA (about 12 mg)

Minerals:

14 mg of Calcium = 1.4% of RDA (about 1000 mg)

3.5 mg of Iron = 17.5% of RDA (about 20 mg)

57.4 mg of Magnesium = 16.4% of RDA (about 350 mg)

196 mg of Phosphorus = 32.6% of RDA (about 600 mg)

2.1 mg of Zinc = 17.5% of RDA (about 10 to 12 mg)