Prepare The Bajra

• Add bajra to a bowl and rinse well with water. Drain well.
• Transfer it to a mixer grinder jar and pulse it to make a coarse powder.
Don’t over-grind. You’re only cracking the grains and loosening the husk, and the broken bits should look like the photo below, not like flour. Cracked grains are also why this recipe needs no soaking.
• Transfer the bajra powder to a bowl and cover it with water.
These days, bajra is sold with the husk already removed, so even if you skip this step, it’s OK. I still do it just to be on the safer side. It only adds two minutes.
• Wait for 10–12 seconds. The husk is lighter than the grain, so it floats to the top. Gently drain the water along with the husk. Repeat 2–3 times until no more husk floats up.

Make The Khichdi

In A Traditional Stovetop Pressure Cooker

• Heat ghee in a 3-liter pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
• Once the ghee is hot, add asafetida, cumin seeds, ginger, and green chilies and saute for 10-12 seconds.
• Add the cleaned bajra to the cooker along with moong dal, rice, salt, and water. Mix everything well.
• Close the lid of the cooker.
• Pressure-cook on high heat for 1 whistle. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the lid and mix the khichdi nicely using a wooden spoon, wooden whisk, or wire whisk. Whisking breaks up some of the dal and grains, and that’s what turns it creamy.
• Add more water if the khichdi looks thick, then cook for a minute. The consistency of bajra khichdi should be like porridge.
• Check for salt and add more if needed.Transfer the hot khichdi to serving plates and serve hot.

In An Instant Pot

• To make this khichdi in a 3-qt instant pot, Press SAUTE button and follow the recipe until adding water to the pot.
• Now close the lid of the pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
• Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 15 minutes at high pressure.
• Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
• Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
• Mix the khichdi nicely using a wooden spoon, wooden whisk, or wire whisk.
• Add some more water if the khichdi looks thick and cook for a minute.
• Check for salt and add more if needed.
• Transfer the hot khichdi to serving plates and serve hot.