Cracked Wheat, Steel Cut Oats and Cracked Millet Porridge (Khichadi) with Peas and Carrots

Cracked Wheat, Steel Cut Oats and Cracked Millet Porridge with Peas and Carrots

Recipe development has always been my passion. While cooking time tested, traditional recipes has a place in everyday cooking, I like to challenge myself in the kitchen by coming up with some brand new recipes or modifying the traditional ones to give them a total makeover.  My challenge is to come up with dishes which are tasty and at the same time being a mom and a health freak, I have to make sure that they are also very healthy.

Also, while developing recipes with a full fridge and pantry is always exciting, my biggest challenge is to come up with recipes with ingredients on hand as grocery shopping is always the last item on the to do list.

So last week, when I had only carrots, frozen peas in the refrigerator, was not in a mood for rice or chapati and had only half an hour before putting dinner on the table, I found some whole grains in the pantry and came up with this recipe.

I was extremely happy the way it turned out. Apart from being super tasty, it is super healthy, is a whole meal with grains and vegetables and could be something you could serve on a regular basis if you are suffering from conditions like high sugar or diabetes.

Would love to hear from you all on what you think of this recipe.



Ingredients


Grated Carrots - 1 cup
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Chopped Onion - 1 Medium

Cracked Wheat - 3/4 cup
Steel Cut Oats - 3/4 cup
Cracked Millet (Bajra) - 3/4 cup. (If you cannot get cracked millet, you can buy them whole and pulse them in the grinder a few times to crack them)

Boiling water - 4 - 5 cups

Cumin Seeds - 2 tspns
Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tspn (Optional)
Red Chili Flakes - 3 - 4 tspns
Finely chopped Garlic - 5 cloves
Oil - 1 tbspn
Clarified Butter - 3 tbpns
Salt to taste

Directions

Heat Oil and 1 tbspn of clarified butter in a pan
Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and chili flakes
Once the cumin seeds start crackling, add the chopped onion
Fry the onion till golden brown
Next add the carrots and green peas and cook for a couple of minutes
Now add the cracked wheat, oats and millet and cook for 3-4 minutes
Add boiling water, salt and half of the chopped garlic to the pan
Cover the pan, reduce the flame and let it cook for 15 - 20 minutes
Take it off the stove, once the grains are cooked and the consistency is similar to that of a porridge

For the Garnish

While the khichadi/ porridge is cooking, in a separate small pan heat the remainder of the clarified butter
Add 2 tspns of chilies and the remaining of the garlic
Fry the garlic till it starts turning color

Serve with the clarified butter garnish and chopped cilantro, with sliced red onion on the side.