Healthy winter dinner recipe: Bajra khichdi

Whole bajra khichdi is a winter delicacy in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana. I have tasted bajra khichdi in quite a few Gujarati homes and loved it, though I’d prefer a little less ghee than they usually add. So I took their recipe and tweaked it a little to make a meal that not just satiates might taste buds, feels comforting during winters but is also healthy and low calorie. Have you tried the Gujarati Bajra soup?

Bajra takes a while to cook. So you will need to soak it overnight. It can be made into an easy one-pot recipe if you skip adding veggies or prefer your veggies completely mashed and mixed in the khichdi. This works well for kids who hate to see whole vegetables in their food. I like the slight crunch vegetables add so I had to use one more pan and add a few steps to the recipe. Believe me, it’s worth it. Read: Healthy reasons to include bajra in your diet.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bajra, soaked overnight
• 1 cup moong dal
• ¼ cup green peas
• 1 cup carrots, cauliflower, beans chopped
• ½ cup capsicum, cut into big pieces
• 1 tomato chopped
• 5-6 garlic cloves, roughly mashed
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 dried chilly
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ghee
• ½ tsp asafoetida (hing powder)
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnish

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker, mix the moong dal and bajra and add a little salt. Pressure cook for 4 whistles.
2. Once done, allow it to cool.
3. Pour a teaspoon of ghee into a deep pan. Add mustard, cumin, dry spices, asafoetida and curry leaves and allow it to sputter.
4. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and mix. Now add turmeric and all the vegetables.
5. Stir well for 2-3 minutes. Then add the boiled bajra dal mix along with the water. Add salt.
6. Mix well and cook until the water dries up and the vegetables are cooked as per your liking. I like them half-cooked which takes 7-8 minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with curd.

Tips:

• Adding dry spices is optional.
• You can replace them with 1 tsp garam masala.
• You can also add dals and other vegetables of your choice.

Image Source: Author