Samvat rice khichdi with step by step photos – simple, easy and healthy khichdi made with sama ke chawal also known as barnyard millet. It makes for a filling and comforting meal served with vrat ki kadhi or plain yogurt or any curry dish made for Hindu fasting days.
Sama ke chawal are regularly used during fasting and are very healthy. You can make a variety of recipes with them like Sama ke chawal ki kheer, Sama ke chawal ka pulao, Sama ke chawal ki idli and so on.
Two more khichdi varieties you can make for fasting are:
This khichdi has a porridge like consistency. if you want a separate grain consistency, then add less water. Details mentioned in the step wise pics below.
I usually keep the ingredients basic in this khichdi, but if you want you can add roasted crushed peanuts or fried cashews in the khichdi to make it more flavorful and healthy.
Serve sama chawal khichdi hot or warm with vrat ki kadhi, peanut amti, vrat wale aloo, Vrat ke dahi aloo, Arbi curry or any curry meant for fasting. Plain curd also goes well with it.
How to make Samvat Rice Khichdi or Sama Chawal Khichdi
1. In a bowl, soak the sama ke chawal (barnyard millet or samvat rice) for one hour. Drain all the water and then keep aside.
2. In a thick bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee or peanut oil. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Instead of pan, you can also make this khichdi in a pressure cooker.
3. Fry the cumin seeds on low heat till they change color and crackle.
4. Now add 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger+green chili paste and ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper (kuti hui kali mirch).
Saute for few seconds or till the raw aroma of both the green chilies and ginger goes away on low heat.
5. Then add ½ cup potato cubes.
6. Stir and saute for two to three minutes on low to medium-low heat.
7. Then add the soaked sama ke chawal (samvat rice).
8. Stir and mix well. Saute for a minute.
9. Add 3 cups water and stir again. 3 cups water makes the khichdi mushy and with a porridge consistency, which we prefer. If you want separate grains, then just add 1.5 to 2 cups water.
10. Season with edible rock salt (sendha namak) as per taste. Again stir and mix well. For fasting recipes, edible rock salt is used instead of regular salt.
11. Cover the pan with a lid and on a low heat allow the grains to simmer and get cooked.
12. Do check and stir at intervals.
13. Once the grains have softened and cooked well, switch off the heat. You can add about 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves here and mix.
Also if you prefer, you can add some lemon juice. Since I was serving the same chawal khichdi hot or warm with Vrat ki kadhi which is also sour, I did not add lemon juice.
On cooling the khichdi will thicken more and can become lumpy. So for best texture and flavor I suggest eating it after it is prepared. If in case there are any leftovers then reheat by mixing some water to slightly thin the consistency.
14. Serve samvat rice khichdi topped with a bit of ghee and garnished with coriander leaves with Vrat ki kadhi, Peanut amti, Vrat wale aloo, dahi arbi, dahi aloo, Vrat ki aloo sabzi or any curry meant for fasting.
You can also have this khichdi with plain yogurt (curd).
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sama chawal khichdi
Ingredients
- 1 cup sama ke chawal (barnyard millet or samvat rice)
- ½ cup cubed potatoes (aloo)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (kuti hui kalimirch) – crushed in a mortar-pestle
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoon ginger-green chili paste (adrak aur hari mirch ka paste) or ½ inch ginger and 1-2 green chilies – crushed in a mortar-pestle
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoon Ghee or peanut oil (moonghphali ka tel)
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
- rock salt (edible and food grade) (sendha namak) as required
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak the sama chawal for an hour. Drain and then keep aside.
- In a thick bottomed pan heat 2 tbsp ghee or peanut oil. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds.
- Fry the cumin seeds till they change color.
- Now add 1 to 1.5 tsp ginger+green chili paste and 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper. Saute till the raw aroma of both the green chilies and ginger goes away.
- Then add 1/2 cup potato cubes. Stir and saute for two to three minutes.
- Then add the drained sama chawal. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add 3 cups water. Stir again. 3 cups water makes the khichdi mushy, which we prefer. If you want separate grains then just add 1.5 to 2 cups water.
- Season with rock salt/sendha namak and stir well.
- Cover the pan with a lid and on a low flame allow the grains to simmer and get cooked.
- Do check and stir at intervals.
- Once the grains have softened and cooked well, switch off the flame. You can add about 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves here and mix. Also if you prefer, you can add some lemon juice. Since I was serving the khichdi with vrat ki kadhi which is also sour, I did not add lemon juice.
- Serve samvat rice khichdi topped with a bit of ghee and garnished with coriander leaves with vrat ki kadhi, peanut kadhi or any curry meant for fasting. You can also have this sama chawal khichdi with plain yogurt.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Samvat Rice Khichdi post from the archives first published in March 2015 has been republished and updated on 26 June 2022.
We LOVE your website, it is so easy and versatile. Not easy to be Veggie in NZ especially around special festivals which require special diets but my mom and I came across your site a few years back and have not looked back since, thank you so much for giving Hindus access to home around the world
thanks a lot nandani. i know its not easy to get vegetarian food outside in some countries. i am so glad that the recipes are helping you. give my regards to your mom. happy cooking.
If making in pressure cooker how many whistles to give.
give 3 to 4 whistles.