Sama ki khichdi or moraiyo/mordhan khichdi is usually made on Navratri fasting or Ekadashi fasting or other Hindu fasting. Sama is also known as Moraiyo/moraiya, mordhan, vari, varai, samak, samvat, vrat ke chawal and in English known as Barnyard millet.
In Gujarat, we usually call this Moraiyo ni Khichdi. My mom makes it on every fasting. This one and sabudana khichdi is must and basic dishes mom makes, while we are on fast.
Earlier I never liked the taste of sama khichdi as this millet is bland in taste. But after coming to USA, my roommate told me to have this khichdi with farali kadhi. After that I started liking this khichdi. So today I have made sama ki khichdi with singhare ki kadhi.
Fasting is a very integral part of the Hindu religion. Individuals observe different kinds of fasts based on personal beliefs and local customs. Do you know the Spiritual reason behind the fasting? This is what my grandmom told me (don’t know whether it’s true or not) - Fasting is like punishing yourself by eliminating many indulging food. So instead of God punishing you, punish yourself. This would lessen some of your sins and you will have more good time in your life.
Apart from the spiritual viewpoint, there is Ayurvedic viewpoint according to ancient Indians. Because of our regular food, there are some toxic material in our digestive system. To stay healthy you need to cleanse your body. So by doing the fast, you will not eat those kind of food which provide toxic material. Thus your digestive system gets some rest and body is cleansed and corrected.
This vrat ke chawal or samvat rice is most commonly used during the Hindu fast. I do make different dishes using this like Vrat ke chawal ki kheer, tikki, pulao.
Check out more fasting, vrat recipes
Sabudana vada // Dahi sabudana // Suran khichdi // Faraali dosa
How to make Sama ki khichdi (Step by Step Recipe with Photos):
1) Wash barnyard millet and soak for 10 minutes. Then discard the soaking water.
2) Heat the ghee or oil in a pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
3) Then fry peanuts for a minute or till it gets light brown in color.
4) Add chopped green chilies and fry for few seconds.
5) Mix in cubed potatoes with sendha namak.
6) Then add soaked millet.
7) Mix and cook for a minute.
8) Add 1 ⅓ cups of water and bring it to a boil. This khichdi has rice grain seperated, but if you like the consistency little loose and runny like usual khichdi then increase the quantity of water accordingly while cooking.
9) Once starts boiling, cover the pan and lower the heat to LOW. let it cook for 17 minutes.
10) After that open the lid.
11) Fluff up the sama rice using spoon or fork.
12) Squeeze fresh lemon juice.
13) Add chopped cilantro and mix in.
Serving suggestion: This can be served with rajgira kadhi or singhare ki kadhi. It can be served with plain yogurt or farali raita.
Sama ki khichdi recipe (Moraiya khichdi recipe, farali khichdi)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Sama ke chawal (Moraiyo or barnyard millet)
- 1 tablespoon Peanut oil or Ghee (clarified butter)
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons Peanuts
- 1 Green chili chopped finely
- 1 medium or ¾ cup Potatoes peeled and chopped
- Rock salt (sendha namak) to taste
- 1 ⅓ cups Water
- ½ tablespoon Lemon juice
- few Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped finely
Instructions
Making mordhan khichdi recipe:
- Wash barnyard millet and soak for 10 minutes. Then discard the soaking water.
- Heat the ghee or oil in a pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Then fry peanuts for a minute or till it gets light brown in color.
- Add chopped green chilies and fry for few seconds.
- Mix in cubed potatoes with sendha namak.
- Then add soaked millet. Mix and cook for a minute.
- Add 1 ⅓ cups of water and bring it to a boil.
- This khichdi has rice grain seperated, but if you like the consistency little loose and runny like usual khichdi then increase the quantity of water accordingly while cooking.
- Once starts boiling, cover the pan and lower the heat to LOW. let it cook for 17 minutes.
- After that open the lid.
- Fluff up the sama rice using spoon or fork.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice. Add chopped cilantro and mix in.
Indu
Excelle
Sheetal
Hi Kanan, just made this today for ekadashi and turned out super thanks 🙂
Kanan
Good to hear that.
Thank you Sheetal for the feedback.
Madhu
This khichdi is wonderful I tried by adding a bowl of curd while cooking soon after adding potatoes(churned curd) nd it turned out to b very delicious.
Kanan
I like the idea of adding curd.
Sowmya
Hi,
Very interesting! But do you get this barnyard millet in USA?
Thanks,
Sowmya.
Kanan
Yes, I got mine from Patel cash and carry. It says 'Samo' on the packet