Simmer pearl millets with mung dal to make a nourishing bowl of Bajra Khichdi.
Maharaj Bhanwar Singh's recipe has a light tadka of spices in ghee.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Khandani Rajdhani
Bajra Khichdi
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup bajra or pearl millets
- ½ cup mung dal
- 1-2 tsp ghee + extra to drizzle
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 2-3 laung or cloves
- 2-3 tej patta or bay leaves
- 1 tsp hing or asafoetida
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2-3 green chilly, slit
- 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
- 2 medium-sized potatoes, diced
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced + 2-3 slices to garnish
- Water to soak
- Salt to taste
- Small bunch fresh green dhania or coriander or cilantro, chopped
- A bowl of dahi or raita, to serve
Method
- Wash, drain and soak the bajra and the mung dal in separate bowls of water for 2-3 hours and then drain the water.
- Transfer the bajra and mung dal into a pressure cooker along with water and let it cook for 3-4 whistles.
Make sure there is enough water as bajra requires a lot of water to cook.
Let the pressure release before you open the lid.
Keep aside.
- Heat the ghee in heavy-bottomed kadhai or saucepan.
Add the cloves, jeera, bay leaves, hing.
Once the seeds begin to crackle, add the sliced onions, slit green chillies.
Cook until the onions turn translucent.
Add the diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes more.
Add the sliced tomatoes, reserving a few slices for the garnish.
Add the haldi powder, red chilly powder and salt to taste.
Add the dhania powder, garam masala.
Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cooked bajra and mung dal.
Stir well.
Cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Take off heat, garnish with 2-3 tomato slices and chopped coriander leaves.
Drizzle some ghee on top and serve with dahi or raita.
Note: For a vegan version of this khichdi use cashew butter instead of ghee.
For a Jain version substitute the onions and potatoes with spinach and cubes of eggaplant.
Maharaj Bhanwar Singh is the corporate chef at Khandani Rajdhani.
