651. Achari Paneer Millet Pulao

Healthy One Pot Meal

The #95 theme for #FoodieMonday #Bloghop group is One Pot Meal suggested by our group member Sujata. I nearly skipped this week as on Friday I had to close down my kitchen as we are travelling to India and then Canada. It’s going to be nearly 3 months that I’ll be away from home. Well, not that I am complaining. The first 14 days  its going to be time spent with my daughter and son in law and we’ll be busy enjoying a wedding.My daughter’s best friends are getting married. Then we fly off to Canada to spend time with her twin brother.

Usually when we travel, I tend to close down my kitchen a day before and order take away. However, our favourite restaurant Shaam e Bahar is closed for the whole month of Ramadan and we didn’t want to try out any new take away place. Anyway, I had a bit of this and a bit of that left in the fridge so thought might as well use it up. Ideal way to use the left over veggies is to make a one pot meal. Check out my Vrindavan khichdi recipe.

I used up the veggies and paneer I had in my fridge to make a healthy millet pulao. You may add any vegetables of your choice. This meal is filling and yet not heavy on the stomach. Its a great way to get kids to enjoy all sorts of millet. Nowadays so many varieties are available. I used Kodo Millet (arikelu,varagu, kodri,arka,paspalum scrobiculatum) which I had.

Millets are small seeded grasses that can grow even areas that don’t get much rainfall. Its usually grown to be used for human consumption and also as fodder.Why should one include millet in their diet? Well, millet is gluten free, healthy, easily digested and a rich source of essential minerals and iron.Its good for diabetics as its low on simple sugar. Millet helps to relieve constipation,high levels of magnesium is not only good for diabetics but it helps to keep the heart healthy.Millet is a good source of protein for vegetarians and is non allergenic.
Making this pulao using kodo millet is very easy as you can cook it like rice. If you don’t get kodo millet, then use barnyard millet (samo, moriyo,jhangora) or foxtail millet (thinai, kang, kakum) instead.

ACHARI PANEER MILLET PULAO
6 – 8 servings

1 cup kodo millet
2 cups water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger paste
1-2 green chillis chopped
2-3 tbsp mango pickle or achar of your choice
125 g (1 cup) of paneer(cottage cheese), cut into small cubes
1 cup mixed vegetables ( I used carrot, peas, red beans, french beans, small potato)
8-10 cashew nuts chopped into chunks
1 tbsp raisin
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) – optional
1¼ – 1½ tsp salt
¼ tsp asafoetida
½ -1 tsp red chilli powder depending on how hot the pickle is
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
4-6 peppercorns (mari)
1-2 one inch cinnamon sticks (taj)
4-6 cloves (laving)
3-4 whole cardamom pods (elachi)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ cup chopped mint

1. Wash the kodo millet. Let it soak in 2 cups of water till you get the paneer and vegetables ready.
2. Peel and dice the carrot and potato. Cut the french beans.Basically prepare the vegetables you are going to use.
3. Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium heat.
4. When its hot add cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom.
5. Then add the mustard and cumin seeds.
6. Add chopped onions and saute till a bit soft.
7. Add the paneer and chopped chilli. Lower the heat and let the paneer brown a bit.
8. Turn the pieces and let the other side become light brown.
9. Add garlic and ginger paste and mix.
10. Add cashew nuts, raisins, mint and asafoetida. Stir fry for a few seconds.
11. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the pickle. Mix.
12. Add the vegetables and kodo millet along with the water.
13. Add salt and mix well.
14. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer over low heat till the millet is cooked. This will take about 20-25 minutes.
15. Serve the pulao with some kadhi or plain yogurt along with some pickle and roasted papad (poppadums).

Raab (millet porridge)

multi grain naan

Kodri pulao

bajri methi dhebra (vada)