Bhagar, or "Sama ke Chawal," or "Vrat ke Chawal," is a delicious and light dish that can be relished even on fasting days, or one loves it as a gluten-free meal option. Bhagar is an easy and delightful recipe mixing a few ingredients to ensure that all and sundry get to enjoy a wholesome taste to their satisfaction. Bhagar is a popular dish during festivals like Navratri. To prepare this recipe of Bhagar, you are going to need barnyard millet as the star ingredient. This millet is a nutritious food and is also very easily digested. Cleaning the millet thoroughly with water first and then cooking in water or ghee; you can temper it using cumin seeds, green chillies, and curry leaves to give this dish an aromatic flavour. You can also roast peanuts and mix them with them for some texture and a burst of flavour. The way to a perfect Bhagar recipe is the art of balancing its spices so that it does not become too heavy yet remain light and flavoursome. Bhagar is usually taken with yoghurt that provides a cooling side to the meal, or potato sabzi, which is meant for vrat. And it is an accommodating dish for anyone who prefers it mild or extra spicy. This Bhagar recipe not only happens to be ideal for fasting but is also quite a nutritious meal for a gluten-free, wholesome dish. Its quick preparation and nourishing ingredients make it quite in demand for simplicity without compromising on taste. Try this Bhagar recipe and enjoy a deliciously wholesome meal.

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup groundnuts
• 2 tsp ghee
• Coriander
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 green chillies
• Salt

• Start by soaking 1 cup of Bhagar (barnyard millet) in water.
• Use 1 cup of water and let the Bhagar soak for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Soaking makes the grains soft, which will help even with cooking later on.
• Meanwhile, you can dry roast a handful of raw peanuts in a pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning them. Once the skins turn golden brown and develop a nutty flavour, take them out of the pan and cool off.
• Rub the peanuts between your hands and remove the skin. Later, place it into the mixer grinder and coarsely grind it.
• You want it to be crumbly, not powdery, adding crunch and flavour to the Bhagar.
• While the peanuts cool, chop finely 1-2 of the green chillies and a small handful of fresh coriander leaves.
• These are the ingredients that will give the dish a burst of freshness and spice.
• Check the Bhagar after 15 minutes of soaking; you can see that the grains have swelled slightly and are ready to be used. Drip extra water using the sieve or colander and ensure that all grains are drained properly before putting them in the pan.
• Heat a kadhai or any other heavy-bottomed pan on medium flame. Add 1 Tsp ghee to the pan. Ghee is very highly recommended for cooking Bhagat because it enhances flavour and makes the dish rich. If you are fasting or prefer the old version, ghee is the way to go.
• Boil 2 cups of water in a kettle or saucepan.
• Having hot water ready will help the Bhagar cook evenly and prevent it from becoming sticky.
• Once the ghee is hot, add ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds (jeera). Let them sizzle and turn brown, which will release their aroma and flavour. Do not let the cumin seeds get burned. Let the cumin seeds turn brown, then add finely chopped green chillies to the pan. Saut for a few seconds so their spicy aroma blends out.
• Now add the soaked and drained Bhagar to the pan. At this stage, ensure that the flame has reduced to a minimum so you may pan-fry the Bhagar softly without it catching fire.
• Stir the Bhagar in the ghee and tempering and continue frying the same till all moisture has evaporated.
• This step is crucial because it allows the grains to take the flavours of the ghee and cumin and not become mushy in the later stages of cooking.
• Add boiling water and seasonings once the Bhagar has been saut ed and dried. Add the 2 cups of boiling water.
• Care needs to be taken while adding the water since the water will sizzle upon coming in contact with the pan that has been heated. Now add salt and a pinch of sugar to the taste of Bhagar (optional). But it enhances the flavour.
• At this stage, coarsely ground roasted peanuts will also be added to the bhagar.
• When the khichdi is eaten, it will offer you the delightful crunch and nuttiness of peanuts in your mouth.
• Mix everything well so that the water, spices, and peanuts are well incorporated with the Bhagar.
• Cook the Bhagar Now, cover the pan with a lid, and let the Bhagar cook on low flame for around 5-7 minutes. By this time, the grains will have absorbed the water and will soften to the consistency of khichdi. Check occasionally, but let most of the moisture evaporate on its own.
• Adjust the consistency once the Bhagar has cooked and reached a khichdi consistency, soft but not mushy; remove the lid and let the remaining moisture evaporate. Stir lightly to fluff up the grains. You may cook for another minute or two if you like to have a drier consistency.
• Turn off the flame and add the final teaspoon of ghee to give it extra richness. Sprinkle the finely chopped coriander leaves on top and gently mix in the fresh herbs so that you do not mash the grains.
• Your Bhagar Khichdi is ready to serve! It pairs perfectly with some cool curd or any fasting-friendly chutney you wish to have.
• The ghee, roasted peanuts, cumin, and coriander all blend in with the wholesome preparation, aromatic yet light and fulfilling.