Rajasthani Bajra Khichdi | Kambu Khichadi | Khichdi Recipe

Rajasthani Bajra Khichdi, a healthy one pot meal made from the pearl millet and whole green moong dal. I had some pearl millet in my pantry untouched for long time which i was brought from India , usually i make kambu dosa with it. But the left over pearl quantity was not enough to make dosa, i was searching for some easy recipe with pearl millet, that's when this khichdi recipe caught my attention. It's such a healthy meal, instantly i made a note of recipe and tried it within the next few days. The khichdi turned out so creamy and delicious.
Bajra is very popular in North India especially Gujarat and Rajasthan, since it's known for generating heat in our body, this kind of khichdis are often prepared during winter season. Healthy meal also keep us warm, interesting right?? There are different variation in the making of this khichdi, even in some recipe they have used 1/2 of bajra and 1/2 of rice, but i have followed the recipe from Sanjeev kapoor where rice was not used. Also if you want to add any veggies, go head & add, make it as even more healthy & delicious !!! 

Rajasthani Bajra Khichdi

Preparation Time : 4 hrs | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Millet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Bajra - 1/2 cup
Whole moong dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 2 cup
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Green chili - 1 
Ginger - 1 tsp(chopped)
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 1 tsp + more for drizzling.

Procedure

Measure bajra and moong dal and add each into separate bowl. Wash it twice and soak it in the water for 4 hrs.After 4 hrs, drain the water from the bajra and add into the mixie jar and pulse it twice or thrice and keep it aside until use.Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the cumin seed, let it crackle,then add the ginger and green chili saute it for 2 mins. Then add the bajra and saute it in ghee for 2 mins and then add the soaked moong dal(discard the soaked water) and saute it for 2 more mins.Add the water, turmeric powder and salt.Finally add the asafoetida powder , mix it well and cover the pressure cooker with lid and put on whistle and cook it for 5 whistles.Once the pressure released from the pressure cooker automatically, open the lid and mix it well with ladle. Drizzle some more ghee on the top and it's ready to serve.Tasty & healthy Bajra Khichdi is ready.

Notes:

• Soak bajra for minimum 4 hrs, it helps to cook the bajra easily.
• No need to grind the bajra finely, just pulse it twice or thrice is enough.
• Instead of whole green moong dal, you can use the  yellow moong dal too.
• Add more or less green chili as per the spice level you want.
  

 

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Recap of Mega BM 87 - Explore the flavors

It's been a while since i had joined the Mega BM , so when i saw the announcement of this April BM by Valli on first week of Jan, without a second thought, i signed up and by that time, i thought that it would be solid three months to prepare everything and feel relaxed. But by the end of jan, ST told me that there might be chance of moving to new place in the April because of his work. More than moving to new place, i was worried about how to make everything ready for Mega BM before mid of March. I knew after that i would be totally caught up with all the packing and moving stuff. So immediately i had prepared the list and started cooking and had successfully finished my cooking, drafting the recipes in Mid March. As expected, April month was crazy with all the packing and moving stuff and really find hard to spare an hour for final editing and posting.But the good thing is whenever i need break from the packing & cleaning the stuff, i sat on before the laptop and started to read the other post and commenting, honestly that was the only time i felt so relaxed in this entire month. Glad i had joined this marathon, otherwise i would post none in the month April in the name of moving :-). Easy to find reason for not doing right? Anyhow it was a great mega marathon and have learnt so much from my fellow bloggers !!! Now, let 's check out the roundup in case you missed any before.

First Week

For the first week, i have chosen the theme "International Breakfast" and here are the international breakfast that i have prepared and we enjoyed each one thoroughly. 

Mysore Masala Dosai	Mani Pittu	Mofo Gasy
Veg Baozi	French Crepes	Donuts

Second Week

For the second week, i have chosen the theme "Whole grains" and in the whole grains, i have picked the millet, though i have been cooking millets regularly, somehow i missed sharing them here, so have taken this theme as an opportunity and shared the recipe that i have cooked regularly in my kitchen and here they are !!!

Kambu Koozh	Samai Puliyodharai	Kuthiraivali Upma
Samai Paal Kanji	Ragi Mudde	Millet Biryani

Third Week

In the third week, i have chosen the theme "No garlic and No onion" recipe. In our home, we have no restrictions of using onions & garlic even on festival and vrat days, so i haven't cook much without garlic and onions or i can say mainly onions. So again i have chosen this theme as an opportunity to explore the recipes without onions & garlic and here are my favorite recipe without onions & garlic.

Mathanga Pulissery	Kuthiraivali Pongal	Dal Tadka
Paruppu Podi	Mysore Rasam	Dum Aloo

Fourth Week

And  for the final week, i have chosen the theme "Street foods" . Out of all the theme, this one is my favorite, street food is something we go out and explore right?? While making that dishes at home, it brings back all the memories of when/where/with whom, i had this street food and also I love the idea of making street food at home. Here are some classic street food from India that i have relished to the core, so tried out in my kitchen

Dahi Papdi Chaat	Bhel Puri	Jalebi
Nannari Paal Sarbath	Spinach Masala Dosai	Paneer Soda
Bread Cheese Omelette	Muttaikose

 

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Samai Vegetable Biryani | Millet Biryani | Millet Recipe

Samai Vegetable Biryani, the delicious vegetable biryani made from Little millet. After seen lot of kanji,kali recipe with millets for the past 5 days, today let's make delicious biryani with millets that satisfy your taste buds also !!! Though i have been cooking millets for a while, still i'm not confident in cooking them in pressure cooker. First time, when i had tried this biryani in pressure cooker, it turned out so mushy(just like kali, i'm not exaggerating here), after we had a very little, the whole things went into trash. So the next time, i had reduced the amount of water and it turned out somewhat ok, with little bit of burned at the bottom. This was happening for next two or three times, either mushy or burned at the bottom, so i finally gave up pressure cooking the millets expect for pongal, curd rice or kanji for which i don't mind if it's too mushy!!

Here in the recipe, i have cooked the biryani in open pot method and it turned out super delicious with separate grains !!! I have prepared millet biryani this way for countless time and it turned out so good every SINGLE time. But i guess the pictures are not doing justice for what i had explained here. Sorry for the poor lighting in the pictures, let me explain the reason, in recent times, whenever i took the camera for the shoot, the sun started to play hide & seek, even though i checked the weather a day before and make sure that it will be sunny, nothing works :-( Actually it remind me of those days when amma used to make vathal, the rain would started to pour out even on Agni nakshartam days. Ok, enough with the stories, let's check out the recipe, but if you want to know what i have prepared for past 4 days under Whole Grains, here they are
Day 1 - Kambu Koozh
Day 2 - Millet/Samai Puliyodharai
Day 3 - Millet/Kuthiraivali Upma
Day 4 - Millet Paal Kanji 
Day 5 - Ragi Mudde

 Samai Biryani

Preparation Time : 30 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Millet | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Samai/ Little Millet - 1/2 cup
Mix veg - 1/2 cup(i have used carrot,potato,beetroot,capsicum & peas)
Onion -1(small)
Tomato - 1 
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander & mint leaves - a handful
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Water - 1 & 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2 
Bay leaf - 1
Cashew - 4

Procedure

Soak the millet in the water for 30 mins.
Cut the veggies & tomato into small cubes, cut the onions into thin slices. Heat a kadai with ghee, add cinnamon,cloves, bay leaf, cardamom & cashews. Roast it in the ghee for 30 secs.Add the onions, saute till the onions becomes translucent, then add the veggies and saute in the ghee for 2 mins.Add ginger garlic paste saute till the raw smell leaves, then add the tomatoes and spices(turmeric,red chili & garam masala powder) & salt. Mix the spices with the veggies well.Add the water(1 & 1/4 cup) and coriander& mint leaves, bring into boil, cover cook the veggies for 5 mins in the low flame.Now drain the water from the soaked millet and add into the boiling water, squeeze the lemon into it. Give a good mix.Cover the kadai with lid and cook it in the medium flame till all the water absorbs, it may takes 7-9 mins. Switch off the flame and let it covered for 15 mins. Tada, Samai Biryani is ready.

Notes:

• If you want more flavor & richness to the biryani, just before serving, add a tsp of ghee in the biryani and give a good mix.
• Soaking millet helps to cook it quickly.
• I have soaked the peas for overnight, if you have fresh peas you can use that.
• Cauliflower and beans can also be added.
• You can make this biryani with any millet(like kodo) in the same way.
  

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