Millets have made numerous appearances on this blog. They were, traditionally speaking, widely consumed across India and have in recent years made a comeback among the health-conscious. When it comes to jowar (which you may know as sorghum), the fibre, protein and essential minerals it provides – along with the fact that it is relatively light to digest – make it an excellent choice. This jowar khichdi is a great dish to put a little energy boost into your day, and is ideal for either lunch or dinner.

In the last post, I shared the recipe for jowar roti. I had said then that the winter variant of jowar roti is bajra roti, which uses the heavier pearl millet. It is important to note that millets are not universally interchangeable. A jowar dish made for breakfast, such as for example a jowar upma, cannot become a bajra dish through mere substitution. Bajra tends to be heavier on the stomach and takes more effort to chew. One does not want to tax the system so early in the day. If at all I want to have bajra in the mornings, I will have it in roti form.

That said, you can certainly use some other millets in lieu of jowar in this khichdi form. The method will remain the same, but the cooking and soaking time (if required), will vary. A millet with smaller grains, such as little millet or foxtail millet, will cook faster and without pressure cooking. Jowar, on the other hand, benefits from a few hours of soaking. Keep these factors in mind whenever you select a millet, for any kind of dish.

When my children were younger, millets weren’t part of our regular meals. We weren’t familiar with them, and there was hesitation around the unfamiliar taste and texture. I myself only started experimenting with them a little over a decade ago. At this point, the entire family also began to enjoy them. Since then, I’ve been a strong advocate for incorporating millets into daily meals. Each kind satisfies certain nutritional requirements, and has its own taste. As with any grain, flavour pairings also make a difference. For instance: jowar is known for a subtle, slightly sweet taste, while little millet has a hint of nuttiness. My recommendation is to keep experimenting in the kitchen, always. Even when working with very traditional recipes, the learning never has to stop.

Jowar Khichdi
(Yield: Serves 2)

1 cup coarsely ground jowar
Water as required for soaking
2 cups water (for cooking)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon ghee
½ teaspoon cumin seeds

Soak the jowar for 6-10 hours. Rinse well.

In a pressure cooker, add the soaked and rinsed jowar along with water and salt.

Cover and cook for 4 whistles. Allow to cool, then open the lid.

Heat a small tempering bowl. Add ghee and then cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, pour the tempering over the khichdi. Serve immediately.

Hot khichdi is a comfort food that has had other iterations on this blog, and I’m glad to share this one with you too. I hope this jowar khichdi becomes one of your preferred variants too.