Bajra (Pearl Millet) Khichdi makes a perfect, diabetic friendly and healthy one pot meal. Pearl Millet (Bajra) is among the grains with highest protein content. It is also high in fiber and contains many essential vitamins and minerals. In authentic recipe rice is used, which has been replaced by Freekeh over here, which is the latest addition to the category of super-foods. Freekeh is a wheat grain harvested while young and green. It is obtained by roasting the harvested grain over the open fire and then removing the burned straw and chaff from it. Freekeh is high in fiber, proteins, calcium, lutein (for eye health) and low in available carbs. Not to mention, the addition of all the mix-vegetables add to the overall nutritional value of the dish.
Bajra Kichdi can be served by itself, with a dollop of clarified butter (ghee). When you make it next time, serve with Kadhias accompaniment. This combination is very popular in Rajasthan, India. This one pot meal is wholesome and hearty. As the cold weather approaches, this dish will give you the warm comfort and sataite your appetite.
Gather all the ingredients and get started. Complete recipe is below.
Vegetable Pearl Millet Recipe – Bajra Khichdi (One Pot Meal)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pearl millet Bajra – 1 cup broken and clean
- 1/3 cup Split mung lentil chilka mung dal
- 1/3 cup Freekeh green-wheat
- 200 gm Potatoes 1 medium size chopped
- 350 gm Cauliflower 1 cup florets
- 1/2 cup Broccoli 1/2 cup florets
- 50 gm Carrots 1 cup chopped
- 150 gm Sweat green peas 1 cup
- 350 gm Tomato 3 chopped
- 15 gm Ginger 1 big piece chopped
- 5 gm Green chilies as per your need
- 15 gm Cilantro handful
Spices:
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds Jeera
- 1/4 tsp Asafetida Hing
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Ghee Ghee
- 4 cup Water 1:4 ratio of bajra
Instructions
Stove Top Method
- Soak bajra and freekeh for one hour.
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and put asafetida (hing) and cumin seeds (jeera). Let it splutter.
- Then add ginger, green chilies, potato and all the vegetables. Mix nicely and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then add soaked bajra, freekeh and lentil (no need to soak the lentil just wash it and add it to the pressure cooker).
- Add salt and other spices and water, mix well and close the lid.
- Cook on medium heat for around 20 minutes and switch off the heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure is released, give it a good steer.
- Transfer the khichdi in a serving bowl and put some ghee on top.
- Serve with papad, yogurt or pickle.
Instant Pot Method
- Soak bajra and freekeh for one hour.
- Switch on the Saute mode and heat ghee in IP.
- Put asafetida (hing) and cumin seeds (jeera). Let it splutter.
- Then add ginger, green chilies, potato and all the vegetables. Mix nicely and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then add soaked bajra, freekeh and lentil (no need to soak the lentil just wash it and add it to the pressure cooker).
- Add salt and other spices and water, mix well and close the lid.
- Cancel the saute mode and start the multi-grain mode, which uses less pressure, for 20 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally after 20 minutes are over.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid and give it a good steer.
- Transfer the khichdi in a serving bowl and put some ghee on top.
- Serve with papad, yogurt or pickle.
Notes
When you make it next time, serve with Kadhi as accompaniment. This combination is very popular in Rajasthan, India.
International school in kerala
That was a good recipe i will prepare for my kids
International School
Wow!!All ideas are really awesome, These will be very beneficial, Thanks alot Keep posting
Rupali Agarwal
Thank you! Glad you liked the recipe.
Rupali
Mani
Nice post and thanks for sharing the recipe for vegetable pearl millet.
Rupali Agarwal
Thank you for stopping by, glad you liked the recipe.
Rupali
Sudhir Agarwal
I have whole bajra how to break it . Can I do in mixer
Rupali Agarwal
Sudhir, To remove the husk put whole bajra in food processor and give one or two short pulse. When you doing this the husk will get get separate. Take out the broken bajra from the food processor and put it in a plate and blow it slightly using your mouth the husk will fly away. Repeat the step twice or thrice until most of the husk is removed from bajra. If there is any husk left, soak the quantity you are going to cook in water and if there is any husk left will float on water surface. Carefully remove the floating husk and use the bajra for your recipe.
Radha
I made this in instant pot..came out very well. thanks for sharing this recipe
Sandhya
I make it without vegetables, not I will try with veggies. Thanks for sharing healthy option.
Kristen
I don’t own a pressure cooker. Do you have suggestions for doing it in a slow cooker? Or on the stove?
Rupali Agarwal
Hello Kristen,
I have never cooked this in crockpot or on stove top with out pressure cooker. However I was checking the cooking time of other similar grain and figured out that crockpot would take approximately 7-8hrs and stove top on low heat would take approximately 45 minutes.
Keep me posted if you give it a try.
Rupali
Ambereen
I had been wanting to try this recipe for a long time and finally collected all ingredients to make it. I wouldn’t change a single thing about this because I LOVE IT!!! The ease of the instant pot along with the simplicity of this recipe makes it another keeper for me. This is just pure goodness. Thanks for the recipe. Btw, I made it with the rajasthani kadi (Didn’t have green mango and mangodi but it was still very good).
Rupali Agarwal
Ambereen,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I am so happy that you actually loved it. Thank you for putting up the review as well.
Khyati
In stove top method how many whistles do you need to watch for .
Rupali Agarwal
Khyati, never cooked with whistles on stove pressure cooker either, I always cooked with timer on conventional pressure cooker as well. But around 20 minuets once the pressure is built on medium heat should cook the chole.
Thank you