Varichya tandalachi khichdee

Vari also known as bhagar is used for fasting as a replacement for rice. It goes well with shendaNyachi aamTi. So even though my daughters are not fasting,are always ready to eat this food as both of them enjoy it.

Ingredients
1 cup vari/bhagar/samo seeds
1/2 cup potato cubes
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
salt to taste

Tempering
2 tsp ghee/clarified butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chilies

Method

• Wash vari and soak in a pan with 1/2 cup water for 10-15 minutes by slightly tilting the pan ( so that the excess water gets separated )
• Heat ghee in another pan add tempering ingredients. Add potato pieces and fry them slightly.
• Add vari and saute it well but on low flame till all water is evaporated and vari looks separated.
• Add 2 and a half cup of hot water over it. Stir well.Let it get cooked on medium flame.
• Add roasted peanuts and salt to taste.
• Cover with lid as  most of the water gets soaked. Lower the flame.
• Turn off the gas when all the water is soaked.
• Serve with shengdaNyachi aamTi and batata bhajee.

Note
You can always make plain vari rice as usual. To make the rice fluffy and to make each grain separate you have to dry roast the vari before washing or soak and then roast it.
Always use hot water on roasted rice (dry or with ghee/oil andwhen not using pressure cooker for cooking rice.)