Chef Kunal Kapur shares how to make nutritious millet masala khichdi in pressure cooker: See easy step-by-step recipe

Kunal Kapur's signature millet masala khichdi recipe is the perfect healthy comfort food to indulge in at any season.

One of the most popular comfort foods across the country, khichdi needs no introduction. It is nutritious, filling, and easy to make, as well as very versatile in the ingredients that it can accommodate.

Kunal Kapur's masala khichdi recipe uses four types of millets. (@chefkunal/Instagram)

Taking to Instagram on March 7, celebrity chef and MasterChef India judge Kunal Kapur shared his own take on khichdi, making the dish even healthier by replacing the usual rice with four types of millets, which significantly increases the fibre content.

The recipe uses a pressure cooker and can serve four.

Ingredients for millet masala khichdi

• Foxtail millet (kangni) - ¼ cup
• Pearl millet (najra) - ¼ cup
• Sorghum (jowar) - ¼ cup
• Barnyard millet (sawa) - ¼ cup
• Moong dhuli dal – ¼ cup
• Masoor dal – ¼ cup
• Toor dal – ½ cup
• Turmeric – ½ tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Water – 7 cups

For tempering:

• Ghee – 3 tbsp
• Dry red chilli – 2
• Hing – ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
• Cumin (jeera) – 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Onion chopped – ½ cup
• Ginger chopped – 2 tsp
• Garlic chopped – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli, chopped – 1
• Turmeric – ½ tsp
• Chilli powder - as required
• Salt - to taste
• Tomato chopped – 1 cup
• Water – as required
• Kasoori methi powder – a pinch
• Lemon – ½
• Coriander, chopped – handful

Method of preparation

1. Take the foxtail millet, pearl millet, sorghum, and barnyard millet in a bowl. Rinse and wash it well with water and strain.
2. Inside a pressure cooker, add the washed millets along with water, moong dhuli dal, masoor dal, and toor dal. Then add turmeric powder and salt, and lock the lid. Set it to boil.
3. In a pan, heat up ghee, then add dry red chilli, hing, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Follow up with chopped onion, chopped ginger and garlic, and saute until the onion changes colour.
4. Then add chopped green chilli, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, chopped tomatoes, all while stirring continuously, bringing it all together.
5. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker to check if the millets and dal are cooked through. When it’s ready, add the onion, tomato and spice mixture from the pan into the pressure cooker, without leaving anything behind.
6. Stir the contents of the pressure cooker well while still on the flame. Add a pinch of kasoori methi powder, chopped coriander leaves, and a squeeze of lemon juice and mix it all in.
7. Serve warm, and enjoy.