The home chef in you is always looking for the one-pot recipe that ticks all the boxes: flavour, nutrition, easy to cook, and easy to digest, right?
Well, your search ends here with Millet Khichdi.
Millet Khichdi is a powerhouse of nutrition and deliciousness. It is easy to cook and even easier to digest. On top of that, it is a one-pot recipe with tons of health benefits.
One more advantage of mastering khichdi is that you can customise it, based on your preferred flavours. You can make them plain, with vegetables, or spice them, it’s totally up to you.
Let’s see some facts to understand this age-old dish, and later we will cover how to make millet khichdi and the benefits of eating millet khichdi in this blog.
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The Significance of Millet Khichdi in Ayurveda
India has a festival called “Khichadi”, which is celebrated throughout the country. It marks the beginning of a new cycle. People cook khichdi and offer it to their deities. There are other ways too in which Khichdi has cultural significance.
It is widely distributed in langars in Gurudwaras or as prasadam in temples. That’s how important Khichdi is.
- Khichdi is called Krushara in Ayurvedic Samhitas, and the millets are referred to as Trina Dhanya and Kshudra Dhanya.
- Khichdi is also called Sarvaposhan Ahaar, meaning it has all the nutrients that the body needs, and is a complete meal on its own.
Moreover, adding millet to Khichdi increases its nutritional value. Isn’t it better to eat millet khichdi instead of regular khichdi? Why not give this age-old traditional recipe a nutritious makeover?
Here are some more facts about millets from Ayurveda, that will strengthen your belief in the goodness of millets, and encourage you to try out millet khichdi recipes.
- Ayurveda’s Charaksamhita mentions millets in Dhanya Varga like Shyamak and Koradusha. These are kashaya and madhura in rasa, and their veerya is sheeta.
- Millets increase vata, balance kapha, pitta, ruksha, and grahi, and are light to digest.
- Bhavprakash Nighantu mentions millets in Dhanya Varga, like Kshudradhanya, which includes Kanguni or Foxtail millet, Cheenak or Proso millet, Shiamak or Little millet, Shyama or Barnyard millet, Kodo, Gavedhuka or Adlay millet, and Yavanala or Sorghum millets.
- Indian Institute of Millet Research also confirms the various healthy properties of millets through its research and projects.
That’s just a drop in the ocean of benefits of millets, and why including it in your Khichdi is a great idea.
So, are you eager to learn a few millet khichdi recipes with us? This blog will guide you to cook millet khichdi using Foxtail, Barnyard, Kodo, Bajra, Jowar and little millet.
Let’s see millet khichdi recipes now!
Five Easy Millet Khichdi Recipes
The five millet khichdi recipes are less time-consuming, easy to digest, delicious, and nutritious. Here's a quick guide on how to make millet khichdi ?
Let’s quickly uncover these flavoursome millet khichdi recipes.
1. Foxtail Millet Khichdi Recipe
Foxtail millet is an essential staple in South Indian households. The recipe is inspired by 'Swasthi’s Kitchen', which is a well-known name in the southern Indian culinary world of home chefs. This recipe will introduce you to the texture and flavours of South Indian Khichdi, which are very different from North Indian Khichdi. Let’s see the recipe now.
Ingredients for Foxtail Millet Khichdi
- 1/2 cup foxtail millet (presoaked for overnight or 5 to 8 hours)
- 1/2 cup moong dal (presoaked for 8 hours)
- 4 cups of water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon A2 ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
- A pinch of asafoetida/hing
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- 2 green chillies (as per taste)
- 1 tbsp ghee for garnish
- ¼ cup sliced onions
- 1 tbsp garlic (crushed)
- ¼ cup methi leaves or palak/spinach
- ¼ cup tomatoes
- ½ cups vegetables (diced - cauliflower, peas, spinach, or fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tbsp coriander (finely chopped)
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp garam masala
Cooking Instructions for Foxtail Millet Khichdi
- Wash and soak the foxtail millet overnight.
- In a pressure cooker, heat ghee and add jeera and saute till they sputter, followed by green chillies, and sliced onion; saute until they become translucent.
- Then, add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a few seconds then add asafoetida powder and stir it well.
- Then, add sliced tomatoes and chopped vegetables; saute everything for a few seconds, and add the foxtail and moong dal.
- Then, add salt as per taste and pressure cook for four to five minutes.
- Add garam masala and mix well.
- Serve hot with a dollop of ghee and raita.
Now, let’s find a recipe for Barnyard millet khichdi.
2. Barnyard Millet Khichdi Recipe
This is a North Indian recipe and goes well with kadhi, raita, achar, and papad. The recipe is inspired by Archana Doshi, a home chef and food blogger. Let’s see her version of the one-pot khichdi recipe.
Ingredients for Barnyard Millet Khichdi
- 1/2 cup Barnyard Millet
- 1/4 cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split)
- 1/4 cup Ragi Seeds
- 1 inch of ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1-inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
For seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
Cooking Instructions for Barnyard Millet Khichdi
- Soak the barnyard millet, the ragi and the dal together in water for at least 4 hours.
- Then, add barnyard, ragi and dal in a pressure cooker. Add 3-1/2 cups of water, turmeric powder, ginger, salt and cinnamon, and cook for three to four whistles.
- Then, Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the cooker, and stir the Khichdi to blend all the ingredients.
- Now, let’s make tadka to spice up this khichdi.
- Heat ghee in a tadka pan and add cumin, chilus ies, crushed peppercorns, and asafoetida. Stir for a few seconds and pour it on the khichdi. Mix it well.
- Serve this simple Barnyard millet khichdi with raita or plain curd and some pickles and papad.
Read All about Barnyard Millet - Benefits, Nutrition, Uses, and More here.
3. Kodo Millet Khichdi Recipe
Kodo millet khichdi is something you would crave in cold weather, or in winter. This recipe is selected from 'Cooking with Sapna', a food enthusiast’s food blog.
Let’s see the recipe.
Ingredients for Kodo Millet Khichdi
- 1/2 cup kodo millet
- 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- turmeric
- salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons more ghee to drizzle on top
- water as required
Cooking Instructions for Kodo Millet Khichdi
- Wash and soak dal and millets in enough water for about 4 to 5 hours, then drain and set aside.
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, and add mustard and cumin seeds. Let the seeds sputter for a minute.
- Add ginger and garlic paste, and saute for a minute.
- Then add chopped onions and green chilli.
- saute them for a few minutes, or until the onion is light golden in colour.
- Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric and garam masala, and cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Add the millet and dal to the cooker, and add about 4 cups of water.
- Cook for 3-4 whistles in the pressure cooker.
- Once done, serve it hot with some ghee on top.
Keep reading to Know all about Kodo Millets - Benefits, Nutrition, Uses and More
4. Bajra Millet Khichdi Recipe
Bajra millet Khichdi is widely cooked in parts of Haryana and Rajasthan. It has rich flavours and aroma, powerful enough to catch your senses from afar. Served with raita and homemade white Makhan (butter), it is a delight.
Ingredients for Bajra Millet Khichdi
- 1/2 cup pearl millet/bajra (presoaked for 12 to 14 hours)
- 1/2 cup split yellow lentils/moong dal (presoaked for 8 hours)
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon A2 ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
- A pinch of asafoetida/hing
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 2 green chillies (as per taste)
- 1 tbsp ghee for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon nigella/onion seeds
- ¼ cup sliced onions
- 1 tbsp garlic (crushed)
- ¼ cup tomatoes
- ½ cup vegetables (diced - cauliflower, peas, spinach, or fenugreek leaves)
- 1 bay leaf
- Few curry leaves
- 1 tbsp coriander (finely chopped)
- Salt to taste
Cooking Instructions for Bajra Millet Khichdi
- Wash and soak the bajra in water 1 cm above the surface of the millets for 12 hours.
- In a pressure cooker, heat ghee and add jeera, bay leaves, and curry leaves.
- Then, add onion seeds and saute for two seconds, followed by green chillies, and sliced onion. saute until they become translucent.
- Then, add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a few seconds and add asafoetida powder and stir it into the masala.
- Then, add sliced tomatoes and chopped vegetables. saute everything for a few seconds, and add the bajra and moong dal mix.
- Then, add salt as per taste and pressure cook for four to five minutes.
- Serve hot with a dollop of ghee.
5. Jowar Millet Khichdi Recipe
The above recipe for Bajara millet khichdi can be customised to cook Jowar millet khichdi.
Yes, just replace the Bajra with Jowar and the rest of the ingredients remain the same. The cooking method and time are also similar.
Although, you can check for the texture of khichdi and cook it more by adding water to get a soup-like consistency. This will also increase the sweetness of jowar and make it easily digestible.
You can create your own version by adding your favourite veggies to the jowar millet khichdi. But, in the end, don’t forget to add some desi ghee before serving the khichdi.
So, that was all about the 5 recipes to cook 5 different millets. Aren’t you craving to cook millet khichdi right away? Well, hold on! Let’s see some benefits of khichdi to make sure you don’t forget to include this healthy meal every week.
Read about What Is Jowar Atta? - Benefits, Nutrition Facts, Composition, Recipes here.
5 Benefits of Eating Millet Khichdi
Here are the 5 reasons or benefits of eating khichdi:
Easy on the Stomach
Khichdi, as it is soaked and pressure cooked; is highly digestible and is even recommended to patients, who have difficulty digesting the slightest of food.
Good Source of Nutrition
Needless to say, including millet and vegetables in khichdi makes it highly nutritious. A good source of protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins, and all in just one bowl!
Helps to Recover from Sickness or Post-Pregnancy Weakness
Khichdi has several health benefits. One such is that being a good source of nutrition, it helps in recovering from several health disorders like mineral deficiency, malnourishment, diabetes, diarrhoea, etc.
Beneficial for Weight Loss
Millets are known to do wonders for people suffering from obesity, high-fat deposits, and
increased weight. If you are someone looking to control your weight, millet will help you to reduce cholesterol and build more muscle mass.
Versatile and Easily Customisable
Khichdi as a dish is not native to one place. Every other state has its version of this comforting dish. It is easy to make and can be totally blended with your taste buds. You just have to tweak it a bit to get your own version of millet khichdi: that fits your health requirements.
FAQs - How to Make Millet Khichdi?
Which millet is good for khichdi?
Foxtail millet and pearl millet are commonly used in making khichdi. Both offer a pleasant texture and taste for this dish.
What is the nutritional value of khichdi?
Khichdi is a nutritious dish with a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It's easy to digest and provides essential nutrients.
What are the benefits of khichdi?
Khichdi is a comfort food that's gentle on the stomach, easy to prepare, and provides a good source of nutrition. It's often recommended for its simplicity and digestibility.
What to eat with khichdi?
Khichdi pairs well with yogurt, pickle, chutney, or a simple salad. These accompaniments enhance the flavors and textures of the dish.
What are the key ingredients for millet khichdi?
Millet khichdi ingredients typically comprise millets, lentils, vegetables, and a medley of spices. These elements are combined and cooked together, resulting in a flavorful and nourishing meal.
Conclusion
Khichdi is not just Indian but has been cooked all over the world under several names like porridge, paella, khichra, and so on. You must have at least one memory of carelessly indulging in this dish. Traditionally, it is still a common practice to cook Khichdi on Saturdays. Our ancestors cleverly bonded this gem of a dish to our every-week meal plan. How interesting, right?
The reason was simple. They are rich in nutrients and easy on the gut. Having millet khichdi once in a while will relax the digestive system, and help the body to recharge and recuperate for the coming days.
On that note, the one place where you can find the best quality organic millets is Two Brothers Organic Farm. Each millet variety is organically grown to ensure great taste and nutrients. Buy the best millets for Khichdi now !
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