Step into the world of delicious, wholesome, and nutritious comfort food – Multi Millets Khichdi. Bursting with the goodness of various millets, lentils, and aromatic spices, this wholesome dish is a perfect blend of flavor and nutrition. We enjoy this warm and simple khichdi recipe with kachumber salad not just because it makes this meal tastier but also adds some fresh vegetables to our meal. This complete meal is rich in all the vital nutrients – Protein, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, Minerals, and Fats. So, make this nutrient-dense meal for dinner and call it a day.
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What is Khichdi?
Khichdi or khichri is a popular Indian recipe made of rice and lentils. But many variations can be made like with millets, dalia (broken wheat), quinoa, different kinds of lentils (moong dal, masoor dal, urad dal, etc.), and vegetables. Making it is quite easy. Just dump everything in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, season with some spices, add water, and cook well. Then temper as you like it.
You can call it savory Indian porridge. In some parts of India, it is even given to babies as their first solid food. But, of course, it is made to suit them. It is even made very simple, light, non-spicy, and given to patients. It is considered nutritious and easily digestible for them. Also, even when you are sick or your stomach is upset, khichdi is something that your body needs at that time. It feels light, and soothing and gives you the energy to recover.
How to temper (or add tadka) Khichdi?
Khichdi can be tempered in many different ways and just by changing ingredients, you create a different flavor each time. Following are some of our favorite tempering ingredients:
- Hing-Jeera: Sometimes, when I feel lazy and need a quick tadka or tempering, I just heat some oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Switch off the flame, add a pinch of good quality asafoetida (hing), and mix for a couple of seconds. Pour it over the khichdi and mix. You can even add dry red chili to the tempering. It adds a nice flavor and aroma.
- Garlic: This tempering gives a very nice aroma not just to your khichdi but also to your kitchen. But only garlic lovers will like it. For this, just heat some oil in a pan, and add chopped garlic and some cumin seeds (optional). Cook until it turns golden brown. Switch off the flame and add dry red chili. Mix for a couple of seconds. The oil is hot enough to cook dry red chili. Pour it over the khichdi and mix. You can even add a pinch of asafoetida to the tempering.
- Onion-Tomato: This one makes a simple boring khichdi quite exciting and restaurant-like. For this, heat some oil and add cumin seeds to it. Let them sizzle for a few seconds. Then add some chopped garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is golden brown. Add chopped onions and saute until translucent. Don’t brown the onions. Once the onions are done, add some chopped tomatoes and cook until soft. Then add it to the khichdi and mix well. Cover and cook for some time to let all the flavors get mixed up well. Serve hot.
How to serve Khichdi?
A Khichdi needs some complimentary side dishes and it is incomplete without them. That includes the following:
- Roasted Papad
- Indian Pickle or Achaar
- Boondi Raita or Beetroot Raita
- Kachumber Salad
What are millets?
Millets are the first grains cultivated by humankind, around 500 to 1000 years back. Despite being highly nutritious tiny small grains, these are not very popular majorly because of the lack of awareness. It is a generic term for a group of different kinds of grains that include the following:
- Finger Millet (Ragi)
- Foxtail Millet (Kangni)
- Pearl Millet (Bajra)
- Proso Millet (Chena)
- Kodo Millet (Kodo)
- Amaranth (Rajgira)
- Barnyard Millet (Sanva)
- Buckwheat (Kuttu)
- Little Millet (Sama)
- Sorghum (Jowar)
Millets are rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium, and fibers. They are gluten-free and are good for controlling blood sugar. These contain complex carbohydrates. Millets are extremely healthy and good for the body. So, make it a part of your regular diet.
More about the superfood – Millets.
Is this recipe Vegan?
Yes. All the ingredients used in this khichdi recipe are plant-based and vegan. I tempered this recipe using cooking oil which makes this recipe vegan. If you are vegan, you can even temper it with some vegan butter and finish it off with that too while serving. It adds a very nice taste to it.
For non-vegans, you can even use clarified butter or ghee to temper.
Ingredients List – for your quick reference
More Wholesome & Light Dinner Recipes
- Quinoa Pulao
- Punjabi Wadi Pulao
- Red Thai Curry
- Quinoa & Kidney Bean Tortilla Soup
- Barley and Sprouted Lentils Pulao
More Millets Recipes – just as good
- Instant Ragi Dosa (Finger Millet Dosa)
- Ragi Laddu (Finger Millet Laddu)
- Amaranth (Rajgira) and Dates Energy Bars
- Kuttu Ka Cheela (Buckwheat Savory Pancake)
- Bajra (Pearl Millet) Khichdi
- Jowar Rava Upma (Sorghum Millet Upma)
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for a hearty meal to warm your soul on a chilly evening or a healthy and light option for a satisfying lunch or dinner, this khichdi is sure to become a staple in your home. So, gather your ingredients and get ready to savor the wholesome flavors of this nutrient-packed khichdi!
If you try this recipe & like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.
Happy Cooking 🙂
Love from us
Richa
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