Kodo Millet Pulao is a healthy, flavorful one pot recipe prepared with millets, vegetables, and few spices in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stovetop. I have used Kodo millet (araka in Kannada) for making this pulao. You can substitute it with foxtail millet or little millet.
You can check out my other pulao recipes like Karnataka Style Veg Pulao, Broken Wheat Pulao, Millet Pulao, Peas Pulao, Cabbage Pulao, Pudina(Mint) Pulao, Quinoa Pulao/Pilaf
What are Millets?
Millets are Ancient Grains. Mankind has known their nutrition value for centuries. They are naturally gluten–free. Millet can also be used as a healthier alternative to rice, as well as in salad recipes or as a side dish.
Health benefits of Kodo Millet?
In addition to all the general millet characteristics (gluten-free, low glycemic index, high fibre, etc), Kodo millet has a high antioxidant content.
| English | Hindi | Kannada | Tamil | Telugu |
| Kodo Millet | Kodra | Araka | Varagu | Arikelu |
Different methods of cooking Millet Pulao Recipe
You can cook Vegetable Millet Pulao in various ways. With different methods of cooking, the only thing you need to take care of is cooking time. Below are there different methods of cooking the Millet Pulao Recipe.
On Stovetop in a Vessel or Kadai –
Make sure the vessel/Kadai should have heavy bottom because when millet is cooked and all water evaporated, heavy bottom prevents it from burning.
Also, make sure the vessel or Kadai can be sealed well with a lid so that millet and veggies cook inside steam. This method also needs more water and time to cook compared to the pressure cooker method.
In Traditional Pressure Cooker on Stovetop –
Cooking in a pressure cooker is way easy and quicker than the above vessel method.
Firstly you need to reduce the amount of water. Secondly is to adjust the cooking time so that the millet or veggies doesn’t turn mushy.
In Instant Pot (Electric Pressure Cooker) –
Take less than 10 minutes to cook this millet pulao in Instant Pot with all separated millet grains and perfectly cooked veggies.
Kodo Millet Pulao Ingredients
Chop all the vegetables like carrot into cubes, beans, capsicum lengthwise as in the image and use frozen peas. Chop onion into lengthwise.
Then gather all ingredients required to make millet pulao.
How to Make Kodo Millet Pulao in Instant Pot
Soak Araka or Kodo Millet into sufficient water for 15-20 minutes. If you are in a hurry skip this step. In this recipe, I dint soak millets.
Take all the ingredients listed under "To Grind" into a mixer grinder and blend to a smooth paste.
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil or ghee and once it’s hot add the bay leaves, jeera, saute for 30 secs till jeera splutters. Then add curry leaves.
Then add sliced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color – stir regularly.
Next, add ground mint coriander paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Add mixed vegetables and cook for a minute.
Then add rinsed millet, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt, and water and mix everything well. Adjust seasoning at this stage.
Close the lid on the pot, and turn the pressure valve to SEALING position. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and the timer to 6 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, Wait for Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
Remove lid away from you, Squeeze some lime juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
Pressure Cooker Vegetable millet pulao is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.
What to serve with Kodo Millet Pulao?
Kodo Millet Pulao or Pressure cooker millet pulao recipe can be served with cucumber raita, papad, and pickle. But it can be served with any kurma as well.
Tips & Variation
- Dont have Kodo millet? You can make this millet pulao with little millet (samai) or foxtail millet too, barnyard tastes equally good.
- I usually use Manual /Pressure Cook mode for cooking millets. It works perfectly and also takes less time. If you are in a hurry, at least give some time, about 5 minutes, before you release the pressure manually (5 minutes NPR).
- You can replace millets with rice or quinoa.
- Soaking millets is not mandatory. In this recipe, I dint soak the millets. But if you have time you can soak for 15-20 minutes and reduce water by ¼ cup.
- Always keep an eye on the time and do not overcook. Millets should not be mushy, I like millets to be perfectly cooked and separated.
- In this recipe, I have used fresh vegetables. But you can also use frozen vegetables too.
- I kept the spices mild, you can add more spices as per your preference.
More Millet Recipes
Millet Pulao Recipe (Kodo Millet Pulao)
Ingredients
Measuring 1 cup = 250 ml
- 1 cup kodo millet
- 2 cups mixed vegetables(carrot, beans, green peas and capsicum)
- 2 tablespoon ghee or oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 large onion
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- juice of half lime
To Grind:
- 2 tablespoon onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 green chillies
- ¼ cup mint (pudina)
- ¼ cup coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 cardamom
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf) optional
Instructions
Preparation:
- Chop all the vegetables like Carrot into cubes, Beans, capsicum into lengthwise as in the image and use frozen peas. Chop Onion into lengthwise.
- Soak Araka or Kodo Millet into sufficient water for 15-20 minutes. If you are in hurry skip this step. In this recipe i dint soak millets.
- Take all the ingredients listed under “To Grind” into a mixer grinder and blend to a smooth paste.
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil or ghee and once it’s hot add the bay leaves ,jeera ,saute for 30 secs till jeera splutters. Then add curry leaves.
- Then add sliced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color – stir regularly.
- Next add ground mint coriander paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until raw smell disappears.
- Add mixed vegetables and cook for a minute.
- Then add rinsed millet, turmeric powder, garam masala powder , salt and water and mix everything well. Adjust seasoning at this stage.
- Close the lid on the pot, and turn pressure valve to SEALING position. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and set timer to 6 minutes.
- Wait for Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
- Remove lid away from you, squeeze some lime juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
- Kodo Millet Pulao is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.
Indian Pressure Cooker on Stovetop Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above until step 5 ie Then add rinsed millet, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and water and mix everything well.
- Close the lid place a whistle and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.
- After pressure has release naturally Fluff up the millet gently. Squeeze some lime juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
- Kodo Millet Pulao is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.
To cook in a vessel on Stovetop Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above until step 5 ie Then add rinsed millet, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and water and mix everything well.
- Let everything come to a boil.Then reduce the flame to low and tightly cover the vessel with a lid. Cook on very low flame until all the water has evaporated.Stir occasionally.
- Then switch off the flame and let it rest covered for at least 10 minutes. Fluff up the millet gently. Squeeze some lime juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
- Kodo Millet Pulao is ready. Serve with Raita or plain yogurt.
Notes
- Soaking millets is not mandatory. In this recipe, I dint soak the rice. But if you have time you can soak for 15-20 minutes and reduce water by ¼ cup.
- You can use any vegetables of your choice like potato, sweet corn. Frozen vegetables can be used.
- You can also do a Natural Pressure Release(NPR) ie wait for 10 minutes after the POT beeps and then open the lid or use Rice mode if you have more time to cook.
- You can increase or decrease spices accordingly.
- Vegans can skip ghee.
- I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
- In the end, You can also add fried cashews, which adds a nice taste and texture to the pulao.
- I kept the spices mild, you can add more spices as per your preference.
Nutrition
Other Recipe Collections to Try from my blog
25+ Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
8+ Phool Makhana(Lotus Seeds) Recipes
10+ Paratha Recipes|Indian FlatBread Recipes
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Van says
Made it exactly the same way in Instant pot. Turned out very Tasty and very delicious. Thanks for a wonderful recipe. Definitely a keeper.
bhavana says
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback.Glad you liked the recipe.