Toor dal khichdi, quick and easy pressure cooker one-pot meal made with millets and lentils. This delicious millet khichdi with tuvar dal, makes a healthy and a hearty meal.
Tuvar dal khichdi | Toor dal Khichdi | Millet Khichdi | Samo khichdi | Vrat ka chawal recipe | Pressure cooker khichdi recipe | No Onion, No garlic khichdi recipe | Quick and easy lunch idea | Vegan lunch ideas | Easy lunch with millets | One-pot meal with millets | Millet khichadi recipe | How to make millets khichdi | Arhar dal khichdi | Samo Toor dal khichdi
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International Year of Millets - 2023
Are you aware? This year 2023, has been officially announced as the International year of millets. Millets group of cereals which are mostly tiny in size, round in shape. There are about 6,000 varieties of millet throughout the world in different colors too.
They can grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate. They are therefore considered as an ideal solution for countries to increase self-sufficiency, a possible and positive way to reduce food shortage and hunger crisis.
The #IYM2023, is used increase awareness about millets, to spread knowledge about their nutritional value and health benefits, and also about sustainable cultivation of the same.
Why Millets?
Many people have to restrict their white rice intake due to many health factors. Millets are great alternate to rice. Millets helps to lower blood glucose levels and improves insulin response. They have a low Glycemic index, which increase the satiety by decreasing hunger and slows the rate of digestion. You can read more about its health benefits here .
Let's Talk about Samo | Barnyard Millet
Barnyard millet, known as Kuthiravali in Tamil, odalu in Telugu, Jhangora in Hindi, and Kavadapullu in Malayalam. Samo or sanwa millet is a tiny, white grain, bigger than semolina but smaller than sago. It is also called 'sanwa rice' as it looks similar to rice after cooking.
In India, sanwa or samo has great importance during fasting days. Especially during Navratri, when most other cereals are not part of the regular diet.
It includes more nutrition than other cereal grains and is a great source of protein, carbs, and fibre. Among all millets, this has the least carbohydrate content and energy content.
Check this easy Barnyard millet mint pulao a delicious jhangore ke kheer | Barnyard millet kheer, also this traditional South-Indian sweet dish Barnyard millet Thiruvadirai Kali.
Almost all the rice-based dishes can be made with millets . You can see a wide variety of recipes in my page using millets here.
Millet Toor Dal Khichdi
Khichdi or khichri is a dish made of rice and lentils. A very popular dish across the Indian subcontinent. Khichdi is a light meal, easy on the tummy, easy to digest and a nutritious meal to enjoy when one is recovering from a bout of illness. The soft cooked grain and lentils makes it easy on the digestive system, providing all the essential nutrition.
Today's recipe of Millet khichdi with tuvar dal, made in pressure cooker is a gluten free and a hearty meal. The recipe uses simple spices and almost no vegetables. No vegetables doesn't mean the khichdi lacks nutrition.
The use of barnyard millet or samo, makes this dish a complete meal, with toor dal, is a wholesome dish, that is light on your tummy and also keeps you satiated.
Ingredients
- Main ingredients : Millet and lentils. I have used samo or sanwa rice along with a mix of toor dal and moong dal for this millet khichdi. Addition of moong dal adds to the creaminess of the khichdi.
- Vegetables : I have used a handful of chopped carrots and a large tomato in this khichdi.
- Flavorings : This humble tuvar dal khichdi uses green chili, ginger, turmeric powder and garam masala. 2-3 tablespoon of fresh coconut , though optional, adds a lot of flavor to the khichdi.
- Tempering : Usual Indian tempering ingredients like mustard seeds, cumin, hing, curry leaves and chilies.
- Fat : I have used cold press ground nut oil for cooking and ghee while serving.
- Liquid : Just plain water.
- Garnish : Fresh coriander leaves
Stepwise Instructions to make Millet Khichdi
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- Measure and keep all the ingredients ready. Wash and soak Millet and dal separately for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker, crackle cumin, add chopped chilies and ginger, sauté for a minute.
- Next add chopped carrot and tomatoes, sauté for a minute. Add all the dry masalas and mix well.
- Now add drained millet and dal, enough water and coconut to this. Mix well. Close pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
- Let the pressure fall on its own. Open the cooker, mix well. Add a tempering of mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, methi seeds and chilies.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and 2-3 tablespoon of ghee. Serve it warm with pickle, curd, and papad.
Toor Dal Khichdi | Millet Khichdi | Samo Khichdi
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Barnyard Millet | Samo | Kuthiraivali
- ½ cup Tuvar dal/toor dal/Tuvaram paruppu/split pigeon peas
- ¼ cup Dhuli Moong dal / Split green gram with skin
- 1 large tomato
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- 4 green chilies chopped
- 1 inch size ginger peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ tsp garam masala powder
- 1.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoon freshly grated coconut
- 2-3 tbsp ghee/Clarified butter
- handful of fresh coriander leaves roughly chopped
Tempering
- 3 tablespoon Cold pressed groundnut oil divided as 1 and 2 tbsp
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds/kadugu
- 1½ teaspoon cumin seeds divided as 1 and ½ tsp
- ¼ tsp methi seeds /fenugreek seeds/venthayam
- ½ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- 4-5 curd chilies or normal round red chili
- few curry leaves
Instructions
- Measure and keep all ingredients on the counter. Wash millets and dal separately with water 2-3 times. Soak millets and the dals separately in water for a minimum of 1 hour.
- I prefer to soak my millets, well ahead of cooking. If you are using a particular brand and are familiar with its cooking time, requires soaking or not, then proceed accordingly. But generally it is better if we soak the millets, helps in better nutrient absorption and digestion.
- Wash, peel and chop the carrots into chunks. Chop tomatoes into cubes. I already had some chopped carrots, so have used them. You can also add some green peas along with carrots.
Let us make the Khichdi
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pressure cooker, when hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Add chopped green chilies and ginger. Sauté for a minute.
- To this hot tempering, now add chopped carrots and tomatoes. Mix well with the tempering.
- To this now add turmeric powder, salt and garam masala. Mix well.
- To this now add drained millet and dal, mix well. Add water and fresh grated coconut. Mix well
- Close the pressure cooker, put on the whistle. Let it cook for 4-5 whistles. Let the pressure drop on its own.
- Once the pressure drops, open the cooker and mix the khichdi well. Add ghee and chopped coriander leaves to this and mix well.
Let us add Tadka
- Heat a tadka pan with remaining oil. When hot, splutter mustard seeds, add hing, curry leaves, methi seeds, curd chilies and finally cumin seeds.
- Pour this sizzling tadka over the hot khichdi. Mix well and serve the khichdi warm with papad, curd and pickle.
Storage Instructions
- Any leftover khichdi can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. While serving, reheat in the microwave for 1 minute or steam cook for 10 minutes and serve it warm.
- Millet khichdi tends to get solid, when rested for long time. So, i would highly recommend reheating or steaming it if rested for long hours, that way the khichdi will come to a saucy consistency.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan
Such a healthy and comforting recipe with millets. Khichdi is a great way to incorporate millets into our regular diet. Really good.
Vaishali
I like the combo of the dals that you have used in this khichadi, very unique. I have to try this for hubby who is a great fan of khichadis.
Radha
I love that you have used millets as this is a great and nutritious meal.