Bajra khichdi recipe with step by step pics. Bajra is the Hindi word for pearl millet. Bajra khichdi is a warming and nutritious khichdi variety made with pearl millet, mung lentils, ghee, spices and herbs. Since this khichdi is warming it is made during winter. Its also a staple food in the regions of Rajasthan and Haryana.
There are many variations of making bajra khichdi. In some variations rice is also added. I do not add rice. The recipe I make is a very simple version and does not use many ingredients. Its also a no onion and no garlic version of bajra khichdi. If you want you can add onions.
In this bajra khichdi, only bajra and moong dal is used along with a few spices and herbs. Everything is cooked in one pot. I have here used pressure cooker to save time while cooking.
During winter I do try to make food with ingredients that are seasonal as well as healthy or warming in nature. I do plan to share some more winter recipes.
Bajra is heaty and thus it is good to consume these nutrition packed millets in winters.
Bajra khichdi tastes good and you will get a slight chewy texture coming from the bajra. Whenever I make khichdi I always accompany a veggie fry with it. This time I made baingan fry (vangyache kaap) to serve with khichdi.
It can be served with chaas (buttermilk) or Rajasthani Kadhi or with fresh curd. You can also top it with a bit of ghee while serving.
How to make Bajra Khichdi
1. Take ½ cup bajra (pearl millet) in a grinder jar.
2. Using the pulse option grind the bajra coarsely. Do not make a powder of it. Some grains will be crushed and some won’t be. But thats fine. We just need a coarse mixture.
3. Now take the coarsely ground bajra in a bowl. Add water and stir. Let the water cover the bajra. Wait for some seconds. The fine husk particles will be seen floating on the top of the water.
Discard the water slowly from the bowl. Repeat this process twice or thrice. Drain all the water and keep aside.
4. In another bowl rinse ½ cup moong dal a couple of times in fresh water. Then soak the moong dal in enough water.
You can also use moong dal with husks (chilkewali moong dal) instead of husked yellow moong dal.
Making bajra khichdi
5. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. You can use oil instead of ghee. Keep the heat to a low.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
7. Let the cumin seeds splutter.
8. Then add 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and 1 green chili, chopped.
9. Stir and fry for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
10. Then add the bajra.
11. Mix the bajra well. Keep on stirring as the bajra sticks at the bottom of the cooker. Keep the heat to a low.
12. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Stir and mix again.
13. Pour 2 cups water.
14. Season with salt as per taste.
15. Cover and pressure cook for 6 to 7 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles on medium heat.
16. When the pressure drops on its own, then only remove the lid of the cooker.
17. Stir the semi cooked bajra mixture very well. The bajra grains will be half cooked.
18. Drain all the water from the moong dal and add the dal in the pressure cooker.
19. Add 2 cups water.
20. Stir and mix very well.
Cooking bajra khichdi
21. Cover and pressure cook for 8 to 9 minutes or for 7 to 8 whistles on medium heat.
22. When the pressure falls on its own, then only open the lid of the cooker.
23. Stir again and mix very well. In case if bajra khichdi looks thick, then add some more water and simmer on low heat stirring continuously. Also check the taste for salt and add more if required.
24. Serve bajra khichdi hot with a side accompaniment of chaas (buttermilk), kadhi or with fresh curd.
Bajra khichdi will thicken more as it cools. So when serving any leftover khichdi, add some water to it and bring the khichdi to a simmer and then serve. You can also top it with a bit of ghee while serving.
Few more khichdi varieties for you!
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Bajra Khichdi | Warming Bajra ki Khichdi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch ginger or 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 green chilli – chopped
- ½ cup bajra (pearl millet)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- 4 cups water
- salt as required
- ½ cup moong dal
Instructions
preparation
- Take ½ cup bajra (pearl millet) in a grinder jar.
- Using the pulse option grind the bajra coarsely. Do not make a powder of it. Some grains will be crushed and some won’t be. But thats fine. We just need a coarse mixture.
- Now take the coarsely ground bajra in a bowl. Add water and stir. Let the water cover the bajra.
- Wait for some seconds. The fine husk particles will be seen floating on the top of water. Discard the water slowly from the bowl. Repeat this process twice or thrice. Drain all the water and keep aside.
- In another bowl rinse ½ cup moong dal a couple of times in water. Then soak in enough water. You can also use moong dal with husks (chilkewali moong dal) instead of husked yellow moong dal.
making bajra khichdi
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a 3 litre pressure cooker. You can use oil instead of ghee. Keep the flame to a low.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. let the cumin seeds splutter.
- Then add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 green chili, chopped.
- Stir and fry for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Then add the bajra. mix the bajra well. Keep on stirring as the bajra sticks at the bottom of the cooker. Keep the flame to a low.
- Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Mix again.
- Pour 2 cups water. season with salt as per taste.
- Cover and pressure cook for 6 to 7 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles on medium flame.
- When the pressure drops on its own, remove the lid of the cooker.
- Stir the semi cooked bajra mixture very well. The bajra grains will be half cooked.
- Drain all the water from the moong dal and add in the pressure cooker.
- Add 2 cups water. stir and mix very well.
cooking bajra khichdi
- Cover and pressure cook for 8 to 9 minutes or for 7 to 8 whistles on medium flame.
- When the pressure falls on its own, open the lid of the cooker.
- Stir again very well. In case if bajra khichdi looks thick, then add some more water and simmer on low flame stirring continuously. Also check the taste for salt and add more if required.
- Serve bajra khichdi hot with a side accompaniment of chaas (buttermilk), kadhi or with fresh curd. Bajra khichdi will thicken more as it cools. So when serving any leftover khichdi, add some water to it and bring the khichdi to a simmer and then serve. You can also top it with a bit of ghee while serving.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Bajra Khichdi post from the blog archives first published in December 2017 has been updated and republished on December 2022.
Hi
Happy Spring….
My bajra khichdi got burnt just after 2 whistles though I added the required amount of water…
Is because of the thick nature of bajra ? Should bajra and moong dal be equal or bajra more than moong dal to balance carbs protein ratio?
Sorry to know about this. 4 cups of water are added in the recipe. First to cook bajra, two cups of water are added and then later with moong dal, again two cups of water are added. I hope you followed this water ratio correctly and use proper measuring cups.
You can keep both the proportions of bajra and moong dal same or can add more bajra or more moong dal according to your preferences and dietary needs. If you add more bajra, then you will need to add more water while cooking this millet.