Bajra Khichdi is a super yummy and healthy khichdi. It is an intersting variation to the regular khichdi where bajra is used instead of rice.
Millets or coarse grains as they are called, are a part of our forgotten traditions, but are slowly making a comeback to the Indian platter. They are highly nutritious, gluten-free and an excellent source of starch, making it a high-energy food. Millets are known to be nutritionally superior to rice and wheat. The varieties of millet are pearl millet (bajra), sorghum (jowar), finger millet (ragi), foxtail millet (korra), barnyard millet (sama ) etc.
Millets like bajra, jowar and ragi make for great meals in winters. They can be added to our diet in the form of bajra roti, ragi roti, sprouted ragi dosa, lasooni bajra, bajra khichdi, ragi idli, ragi manni (finger millet pudding), bajra thalipeet and in so many different ways.
Bajra Khichdi is a popular winter meal in Rajasthan. The basic bajra khichdi is just made with bajra and some dals, but I like to add some veggies to this khichdi which makes it tastier and healthier.
This khichdi is also made using pounded bajra. But, I like to use soaked, whole bajra to make this khichdi. Whole bajra gives a nice crunch to this dish.
Bajra Khichdi made with bajra, lentils and vegetables is an absolute comfort food and is one of my favorite khichdis.
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Why we love Bajra Khichdi
- It is a one-pot meal
- It is super delicious, healthy and wholesome
- It can be made vegan by using oil instead of ghee
- It is absolutely comforting in winters
- It gets made in no time if you have the soaked ingredients ready
List of Ingredients used for making Bajra Khichdi
Grains and lentils
Pearl millet (bajra)
Split chickpeas (chana dal)
split green gram (moong dal)
Vegetables
Adding of vegetables is optional. But I highly recommend adding vegetables to enhance the taste and health quotient of the dish. Veggies used here are green peas, carrots, spinach, onion, tomato and garlic.
Spices
Spices used here are turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala
Other ingredients
Coriander leaves, Ghee and salt. Ghee can be replaced with oil to make a vegan khichdi.
Step-wise recipe with pictures
Wash and soak bajra for 7 hours or overnight
Wash and soak chana dal for 2 hours.
Wash and soak moong dal for 2 hours.
Heat a pressure cooker and add ghee . When the ghee starts melting, add cumin seeds.
When the seeds start spluttering, add chopped garlic. Saute for few seconds.
Add chopped onion and saute for few seconds.
Add green peas and chopped carrots.
Next, add soaked moong dal, soaked chana dal, chopped tomato, chopped spinach and mix well.
Add soaked bajra and mix.
Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
Mix well and add 1 ¼ cup of water.
Close the lid and cook for 6 to 7 whistles.
Allow the pressure to drop naturally and then open the lid. Bajra khichdi is ready to be served with fresh curds.
I would like to draw your attention to some more khichdi recipes:
Recipe Card
Bajra Khichdi | Pearl Millet Khichdi
Ingredients
- 1 cup of pearl millet (bajra)
- ¼ cup of split gram (chana dal)
- ¼ cup of split green gram (moong dal)
- ¼ cup of green peas (matar)
- ¼ cup of chopped carrots (gajar)
- ¼ cup of chopped spinach (palak)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (pyaaz)
- 1 small tomato, finely chopped (tamatar)
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (lehsun)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 tsp red chilly powder (laal mirch)
- 1 tsp cumin coriander powder (dhaniya jeera powder)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Salt as per taste (namak)
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- Wash and soak bajra for 7 hours or overnight.
- Wash and soak chana dal for 2 hours.
- Wash and soak moong dal for 2 hours.
- Heat a pressure cooker.
- Add 1 tbsp ghee.
- When the ghee starts melting, add cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start spluttering, add chopped garlic. Saute for few seconds.
- Add chopped onion and saute for few seconds.
- Now, add green peas, chopped carrots, soaked moong dal,soaked chana dal, chopped tomato, chopped spinach and mix well.
- Next, add soaked bajra and give a mix.
- Now, add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and add 1 ¼ cup of water. .Give a quick mix.
- Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 6 to 7 whistles. Allow the pressure to drop naturally and then open the lid.Â
- Bajra khichdi is ready to be served. Serve hot with fresh curds.
Notes
Recipe Video
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