Before you begin: Rinse the moong dal 2–3 times and set it aside. No soaking needed. Have all your vegetables chopped and ready. Once the tadka starts, it moves quickly.

Roast And Grind The Jowar

• Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Once it reads ‘HOT’, jowar grains to the inner pot and roast for 5 minutes, until the grains turn lightly golden and smell nutty, stirring frequently.
Don’t walk away. The grains go from golden to burnt in a few seconds. Keep your spatula moving.
• Transfer the roasted jowar grains to a spice grinder or a food processor.
• Pulse the roasted jowar 3–4 times. You want a coarse, gritty texture, not a smooth flour. Think rough semolina or polenta. Set aside.

Make The Khichdi

• Add ghee to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
• Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
• Add onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic and cook until onions turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
Don’t rush this step; the caramelized onion is the backbone of the flavor.
• Add green peas, carrots, tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt, and cook for a minute.
• Now add jowar powder, water, and yellow moong dal. Mix everything thoroughly, making sure there are no lumps of jowar powder.
• Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
• Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer for 12 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the valve to the venting position and then open the lid.
• Mix the khichdi well using a spoon. Add some hot water if the khichdi looks thick. Check for salt and add more if required.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Jowar khichdi thickens significantly as it cools. Always add hot (not cold) water when adjusting consistency.