Sheherwali Dahi Millet Ki Khichdi
This wholesome millet dish is inspired by the traditional Sheherwali Dahi ki Khichdi from Murshidabad in Bengal that I fell in love with when I was living in Kolkata! It’s one of my go-to weeknight meals here and it couldn’t be any easier! I wanted to give this a new twist so I tried it with millets, one of India’s biggest superfoods! This comes out super creamy and has a lovely floral taste from the almond paste, rose water, and saffron.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked millet , I used kodo millet
- 1 1/2 cup yogurt
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp besan (gram or chickpea flour) , or wheat flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp ghee
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp green chilies , minced
- 1 tsp ginger , minced
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- salt , to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar , optional (to balance the flavor)
- 3/4 cup peas or any vegetables of your choice
- pinch saffron , soaked in 1 tsp warm water
- 1/2 tsp rose water
Almond Paste:
- 1 inch cinnamon sticks
- 3 cloves
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 piece mace (javitri) , small
- 3 pods green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom , only seeds
- 6 black peppercorns
- 8-10 almonds , peeled and soaked
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
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To make the almond paste, dry roast all the whole spices (except both cardamoms) on low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer this to a blender with the cardamoms, water, and almonds. Blend into a smooth paste. Add more water if needed and set aside.
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In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, besan (or wheat flour), and the water.
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In a pan, heat ghee on medium heat and add cumin seeds and dried red chili. Let crackle and add in ginger and green chili and sauté briefly.
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Add in the almond paste and swirl 2 tbsp of water to get the remaining paste and add that as well. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until you see the ghee separate on the edges.
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Add in the yogurt mixture and stir continuously until it comes to a simmer. Then, add in red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and sugar. Mix gently and add in your cooked millets and 1/2 cup water. Let this cook covered 8-10 minutes on medium to low heat.
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Add in your peas, saffron, and rose water. Stir gently and adjust any seasonings to taste. Your Dahi Millet ki Khichdi is ready to enjoy with green chutney, khichiya, papad, and kachumber salad!