Jowar Khichdi (Sorghum Khichdi)

When my body needs some extra love and comforting, I cook up a nutrient-dense jowar khichdi, made with sorghum and moong dal or green gram lentils. It needs just a few simple warming spices, like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin, and is so easy to make. This khichdi makes a nice change from a rice-based khichdi and the sorghum is great for you, packed as it is with immense health benefits. For your convenience, I have also included instructions for making this in the pressure cooker and Instant Pot.

I love cooking with sorghum because of the immense health benefits this little seed packs--it is heart healthy, has lots of good protein, and it can ward off a whole host of illnesses.

In this very, very tasty Jowar Khichdi sorghum gets the starring role it deserves and it doesn't let you down.

The cooked jowar is deliciously nutty with just a slight chewiness and together with the velvet-soft lentils they create a wonderful interplay of textures and flavors. There are also veggies in this khichdi, so it is a one-pot meal.

Table of Contents

• Why you'll love this jowar khichdi recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make jowar khichdi
• What to serve with khichdi
• Storage tips
• Related recipes
• Jowar Khichdi (Sorghum Khichdi) Recipe
• Reviews

Why you'll love this jowar khichdi recipe

• It's delicious AND healthy. How can anyone not love a khichdi? And this one is not only different, it takes this humble comfort food to another level of deliciousness and healthfulness. The sorghum is packed with protein and nutrients, including antioxidants, fiber and magnesium, that can reduce cholesterol and improve heart health and digestion. The veggies and spices add tons of flavor to create a food that's really, really good for you any time of year but especially now, when the weather continues to be cool. There are 11 grams of protein and seven grams of fiber in each serving of this khichdi.
• It's easy to make. This jowar vegetable khichdi recipe is very simple--toss in the ingredients and let it all cook. The sorghum does take longer to cook than white rice would, so you will need about an hour in all to get this to the table, but it's not hands-on time.
• It's everyone friendly. Khichdi, in ayurveda, is known for being gentle to the digestive system and healing, so everyone can benefit from eating it at least every once in a while. The spices I use in this khichdi are whole spices and can easily be removed while eating, there is no chili pepper or black pepper (although you can definitely add some black pepper if you want to). This is a very kid-friendly recipe, and it's soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sorghum (use the whole sorghum seeds or millets, not the flour)
• ½ cup moong dal or mung lentils (green gram dal)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Or use any vegetable oil of your choice.
• Whole spices: 1-inch piece cinnamon, two green cardamom pods, two cloves, 2 bay leaves and 1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• Vegetables: One large carrot, 2 medium potatoes (I used 4 small purple potatoes) and 2 small bell peppers (capsicum -- red, green or yellow capsicum are all fine).
• 1-inch knob ginger
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 6 cups water/vegetable stock. I usually use water with jowar khichdi to keep the flavors simple, but if you want some additional flavor using a vegetable stock is perfectly fine.
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves)

How to make jowar khichdi

• Place the moong dal and sorghum in a bowl and add enough water to cover by two inches. Soak for for 2-3 hours or even overnight if possible. Drain out all water before using.

• Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the whole spices: the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Stir for a minute, then add the cumin seeds and mix.
• Add the carrots to the pot and sauté for a couple of minutes. You can add a little salt at this point to help the veggies soften faster.

• Add the potatoes and ginger. Mix, cover, and cook a couple of minutes over medium heat.
• Add the bell peppers followed by the turmeric. Mix.

• Add the drained moong dal and sorghum to the pot. Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes so the dal and sorghum toast slightly.
• Add six cups of water or vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add salt at this point, making sure that the water is a bit saltier than you want your finished khichdi to be.

• Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook the khichdi for 45 minutes. Check and see if you want the sorghum to get more tender--I like it a bit chewy but you can cover the pot again and cook the khichdi longer if you want the grains softer.
• Once the sorghum has reached the consistency you like, and if there is still a good deal of water remaining in the pot, take the lid off and let the khichdi cook over medium-high heat until most of the moisture, but not all, has evaporated. You don't want the khichdi to be dry, like biryani rice--a slightly runny khichdi, with a risotto-like texture, tastes best. Stir a few times as it cooks to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
• Garnish the khichdi with cilantro and serve hot.

What to serve with khichdi

• This jowar khichdi is a one-pot meal, so all you need with it is some Indian pickle, like this lime pickle, and poppadum (papad). You can also spritz on some lemon juice for even more flavor.
• I also love khichdi with a slightly spicy vegetable curry on the side. This time I served it with a yummy Baingan Bharta. The khichdi also goes very nicely with this spicy, easy Potato Curry.
• A simple vegan cucumber raita is also lovely with khichdi.

Storage tips

• The khichdi keeps nicely in the fridge for up to three days.
• For longer storage freeze in an airtight container. Thaw and reheat before serving. Khichdi should always be eaten warm or hot.

Related recipes

• Sorghum Dosa (Jowar Dosa)
• Masala Khichdi
• Sabudana Khichdi
• Easy Mung Sprouts Khichdi with Butternut Squash