| Kodo Millet (varagu) pulao-brinjal raita-salad-potato curry |
Millet Pulao-Varagu Arisi Pulao
Prep Time : 10 mins
Serves: 1-2
Recipe Category: Millet-Lunch
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Kodo millet (Varagu) – 1/2 cup (see notes)
Onion – 1 big
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Green chilli – 2 slit
Curry leaves – a sprig
Salt needed
Curd – 1 1/2 tbsp
Water – 1 1/2 cup
Vegetables
Potato – 1/3 cup or 1 potato
Carrot – 1/3 cup or 1 carrot
Beans – 5-6
Peas – 1/3 cup
Spice Powder
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
For the seasoning
Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Cloves – 2
Bay Leaf – 1
For Garnishing
Coriander leaves
Cashew nuts – 4-5 (optional)
Preparation
Wash, peel the skin and chop carrots and potato into small pieces. Finely chop beans and keep it aside. Thinly slice onions and slit green chillies. Peel the skin and finely chop ginger.
Method
Heat oil in a pressure pan or any heavy bottomed pan, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf.
When cumin seeds sizzles, add onions, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves.
When onions become transparent, add all the vegetables, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt needed.
Mix well, sprinkle water and cook covered for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the washed millet, 1 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil. Check for salt. If required add at this stage. Cook covered.
When almost all the water has evaporated, add curd, mix well and cook covered for a few more seconds. (Millet has a tendency to become dry, so I have added a little curd to prevent that).
Once done, switch off the heat and let is sit for 5 minutes. Then open the lid and fluff it with a fork.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and roasted cashew nuts.
Serve hot with any raitha (pachadi) or papads or any onion tomato gravy.
I had it with my most favorite smoked brinjal pachadi, salad and potato curry.
Notes – You can use samai or kuthiraivali instead of varagu. Follow the same method. You can make this pulao in pressure cooker or pressure pan without the whistle. You may also add vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, sweet corn etc.
Check out more Millet Recipes
View Comments (11)
Hello Padhu...Nice recipe with millets... I often get stuck for recipes with millet...this one sounds gud
Hi Padhu. Wanted to check if we need to steam the millet for a long time or if it will get cooked on the go. I am going to try this recipe using millet for the very first time and thats why the doubt
It is cooked in the same way as rice. Follow the same method above, the millet will get cooked well.
Lovely recipe ! I find dry roasting the millet a bit before adding to a dish like this keeps the grains separate.
should we wash the rice and then roast or roast the rice and then wash?
Roast the rice and then wash.
Tried this recipe and it came out very well.Adding curd made the dish moist and tasty. Thanks for for the tips :)
Nice receipe.hw many mins soak the kodo millet
Not required. Toast it lightly if needed.
Do we have to roast the millets?
Not required but you have to soak the millets.