Varagu arisi Masala Kichdi (Kodo Millet Kichdi)

 This is a super comforting easy meal that is so light on the stomach and easy to digest. Millet are super grains that are gaining so much popularity in the recent years for their various nutritional benefits. I find them difficult to substitute to our traditional rice.However, there are other ways by which we can cook Millet so that they taste delicious yet remain healthy. There are numerous dishes we can make with various millet. Here, I have shared the recipe for Dal Kichdi using Kodo Millet or Varagu arisi.

This tastes just like a normal dal kichdi that is made using our normal white rice but here, we are replacing it with millet and vegetables for additional goodness. This is a one pot one one shot (OPOS) method which is easy and healthy.

serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1. Kodo Millet - 3/4 cup
2. Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
3. Water - 3.5 cups
4. Green chili - 1 big slit
5. Ghee - 1 tbsp
6. Cumin - 1 tsp
7. Bay Leaf - 1
8. Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Ginger garlic Paste - 1.5 tsp
12. Coriander leaves - fistful chopped
13. Needed salt

Vegetables ( Anything of your choice - chopped as shown in the pic)

• Cauliflower florets - 5
• Carrot - 1 small
• Capsicum - half
• Baby corn - 3
• Tomatoes - 3
• Onion - 1 Big

                  

Chopped Veggies

Kodo Millet

Method

1. In a cooker, add ghee, bay leaf and cumin. Once the cumin crackles, add green chili and onions. Saute until onions are translucent in a low medium flame.

2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another 2 mins.

Onion has become translucent

3. Soak the cauliflower in a hot salted water for 10 mins. Wash them and drain them completely for getting rid of worms.

4. Add Toor dal and saute for a minute. Add all other veggies and needed salt and saute nicely.

Dal and veggies getting sauteed

                     

5. Wash the kodo millet nicely to get off the bitter taste. Drain them and add it to the cooker pan.

 

6. Add needed water and give everything a nice stir. Close the cooker and pressure cook for 4 whistles on a medium flame.

  

Add water to pressure cook

7. Switch off the cooker after 4 whistles, once the pressure settles, open the cooker.

8. Give it a nice stir, add some water based on the consistency required and adjust salt.

9. Add the garam masala and give it a good stir. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot with Papad and some aloo curry. It tastes yummmmm.

Cooked Kodo Millet Kichdi