Varagu_Paneer_Rice

 VaraguPaneerRice [ KodoMilletPaneerRice ] :

Kodo millet is known as #Varagarisi or simply #Varagu in Tamil and #Kodon or #Kodri in Hindi.
The botanical name is Paspalum scrobiculatum.

Kodo millet [ varagu ] is rich in fiber thus very good for diabetic patients.

Varagarisi [ varagu ] is rich in proteins and antioxidants.

This millet has good amount of minerals especially iron and zinc which is far far higher than that present in common cereals like rice and wheat.

Generally millet are non acid forming and gluten free in nature.

Nutritional value of 100 gm of Kodo millet : 

8.3 g of Protein, 9.0 g of fiber, 2.6 g of minerals, 0.5 mg of Iron and 27 mg of Calcium.

Ingredients :
1 cup	Varagu [ Kodo millet ]
1/4 cup	Paneer
2 Medium size	Onion, chop nicely
1 or 2	Green chilly, slit lengthwise
1	carrot, chop nicely
8 - 10	Garlic pods, chop finely
1 Tsp	Ginger finely chopped
1/4 Cup	Fenugreek leaves [ Methi ] chopped
1/4 Cup	Coriander leaves chopped
2 Tsp	Cumin seeds [ Jeera ]
1 Tsp	Black pepper powder
1 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
4 - 6 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ sesame / til oil ]
small piece	Cinnamon

Small quantity of finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Method :

Take 1 cup of varagu - Kodo millet in a pressure cooker and wash once.

Then add 2 cups of water and let it stand for 2 hours.

After two hours pressure cook on high flame for a whistle.

Then reduce the flame and cook for 5 minutes.

Wait till it ran out of steam.

Transfer the cooked varagu in a wide mouthed vessel and add a teaspoon of oil.

Gently mix with a spoon and allow to cool down by keeping under a fan. 

Heat a kadai with 2 Tsp of oil on stove over medium flame.

Add Paneer pieces & a pinch of salt once.the oil starts fuming.

Saute on slow fire till the pieces turn slightly golden brown.

Transfer on to a plate and set aside.

In the same kadai add 3 - 4 Tsp of oil.

Crackle cumin seeds and then add cinnamon stick.

Then add green chilly, chopped garlic, ginger, carrot and onion.

Saute on medium fire adding a pinch of salt.

Once onion turns pale pink in color add chopped carrot and saute for 2 - 3 minutes.

Now add chopped coriander and Fenugreek leaves and mix well.

Add salt and stir well.

Then put the cooked varagu rice and black pepper powder and mix well.

Adjust salt.

Finally add fried paneer and gently stir.

Transfer into a serving bowl.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot on a plate with thayir pachadi or kuruma.

You might also like to try

Samai spicy masala bread [ Little millet spicy masala bread ]	Kuthiraivaali sweet bread [ Barnyard millet sweet bread ]	Samai Arisi Thaengai Payasam
Kuthiraivaali Spicy bread [ Barnyard millet bread ]	Kuthiraivaali pasalai adai [ Barnyard millet spinach pancake ]	Samai Methy Pancake [ Little millet methy pancake ]
Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ] Neer dosai	Varagarisi Sundal [ Kodo millet Sundal ]	Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ] kothamalli Pongal

For other Varagu Recipes

Varagu - Kodo Millet Recipes

For spicy accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Varagu_Spicy_Bread

 #VaraguSpicyBread  #KodoMilletSpicyBread :

#Varagu Or #Varagarisi is called #KodoMillet in English.

It is called #Arka in Kannada and #Kodon or Kodri in Hindi.

The scientific name is Paspalum scrobiculatum.

#Varagu is gluten free and non acid forming food just like any other millet.

The nutrients present in 100 gm of varagu is as follows :

Protein 8.3 g, Fiber 9.0 g, minerals 2.6 g, Iron 0.5 mg and Calcium 27 mg.

To know further go to Kodo Millet.

Previously I have used onion and prepared spicy masala by sauteing the ingredients in a kadai.

Here I have just made a masala mix by combining all the ingredients in a blender and added it to make the dough.

The millet has to be soaked for a minimum of two hours before cooking to reap the complete health benefits. And also soaking the millet before cooking helps the body to absorb its nutrients well.

The dough has to be allowed to stand for a minimum of 6 - 8 hours to ferment. So pre-planning is necessary and the process has to begin well in advance.

There are three stages involved in the making of spicy bread

1. Soaking and grinding :

#Varagu [ #KodoMillet ] has to be soaked for two hours. A small quantity of cooked varagu is required to make batter. The soaked varagu and cooked varagu are ground together using a mixer grinder into a smooth batter. The batter should be thick just like idli maavu consistency and transferred into a vessel. 

2. Fermentation of the batter :

Sugar, curd and salt are mixed with the batter and allowed to stand for 6 - 8 hours or the whole night. 

3. Combining fermented batter and ground masala to make the dough. Then steam cooking it in an idli pot.

Kindly keep in mind the time involved before beginning to make varagu [ Kodo millet ] spicy bread:

Soaking Time          : 2 hours

Fermentation Time  : 6 - 8 hours

Masala preparation  : 5 mins

Steam cooking time  : 15 - 18 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup	Varagu or Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ]
3 Tbsp	Cooked Varagu [ Kodo millet ]
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
5 Tsp	Sugar [ adjust ]
2 - 3 drops	Curd
1/4 Tsp	Baking soda
1/4 Cup	Carrot grated
1/4 Cup	Green gram sprouts [ optional ]
To Grind coarsely :
10 - 12	Black pepper
1 - 2	Green chilly
1 Tsp	Cumin seeds
1 Tsp	Fennel seeds [ saunf ]
1/2 Tsp	Coriander seeds
1/4 in. piece	Cinnamon
1	Star Anise
3	Cloves
8 - 10	Curry leaf
2 - 3 Tsp	Coriander leaf chopped
1 Tsp	Pudina dried [ Mint dried ]
1/4 Cup	Karpooravalli
2 - 3 pods	Garlic
1/2 inch	ginger
1/4 inch	turmeric tuber*

Gingelly oil [ sesame/til oil ]/ghee to apply

* If Turmeric tuber is not available then 1/4 Tsp of turmeric powder can be used.

The amount of curry leaf, coriander leaf, pudina and karpooravalli can be adjusted according to availability.

Method :

If I have planned to make spicy bread for breakfast, then I have to start the preparation the previous day evening itself.

 Previous Day Evening :

Take 1 cup of Varagu [ Kodo millet ]  in a big vessel. Rinse once with water and then add enough water to soak it.

Take 1 Tbsp of Varagu [ Kodo millet ] in a small cup and rinse once. Add 2 Tbsp of water.

Allow to stand for 1 hour. After an hour pressure cook using a cooker over high flame for a whistle and then reduce the heat and cook for 7 minutes. Open the cooker only after it ran out of steam.

After two hours combine soaked Varagu [ Kodo millet ] and 

cooked Varagu [ Kodo millet ] in a mixer grinder jar.

Grind into a smooth batter adding little water.

The batter should be of idli maavu consistency.

Transfer into a big vessel. 

There should be enough space above the surface of the batter 

as the volume would increase due to fermentation.

Add sugar, salt and curd. 

Mix well and close the vessel with a lid. 

Keep the vessel at a warm place in the kitchen to aid the fermentation.

The next day morning :

In the morning the batter would have fermented and raised up in volume.

Take all the ingredients necessary to make spicy masala in a mixie jar.

Grind coarsely and transfer into the vessel containing varagu batter.

Add grated carrot and green gram sprouts also into the vessel.

Mix well and adjust salt.

Add baking soda and crushed black pepper. Mix well.

Steam cooking :

Grease shallow plate/container with oil.

Pour in prepared dough into the greased plate/container till 3/4 of its height and tap gently to evenly spread the dough.

Heat Idli pot with 3 cups of water on a stove over high flame. Place the steamer plate inside the idli pot.

Place the plate containing dough over the steamer plate inside the idli pot.

Close the idli pot and cook for 12 - 15 minutes.

After 14 minutes insert a clean and dry knife from the top through the bread. 

If the knife comes out clean then the bread is ready.

Take out the plate from the idli pot.

If the knife comes out with dough sticking to it then cook for another 3 - 5 minutes.

The time taken to cook the dough depends on the volume of the dough filled in the plate/container.

In the same way steam cook rest of the dough in batches.

Apply 2 -3 drops of ghee/gingelly oil over the surface of the bread to avoid drying up.

Wait for five minutes to cool down considerably.

Cut into pieces.

Tasty N spicy Varagu spicy bread is ready to relish.

Enjoy your breakfast!!

No need of any side dish or chutney.

It can also be enjoyed either hot or cold as an evening snack with hot coffee.

Note :

Heat a kadai with a teaspoon of gingelly oil [ til/sesame oil ].

Crackle mustard seeds once oil starts fuming and add teared curry leaves, immediately turn off the stove.

Pour the tempering over the prepared varagu spicy bread to enhance its flavor a little bit more!!

You might also like to try

Samai spicy masala bread [ Little millet spicy masala bread ]	Kuthiraivaali sweet bread [ Barnyard millet sweet bread ]	Samai Arisi Thaengai Payasam
Kuthiraivaali Spicy bread [ Barnyard millet bread ]	Kuthiraivaali pasalai adai [ Barnyard millet spinach pancake ]	Samai Methy Pancake [ Little millet methy pancake ]

For other Varagu Recipes

Varagu - Kodo Millet Recipes

For spicy accompaniments

Chutney Recipes

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Varagu-Mudakathan-Dosai

#VaraguMudakathanDosai  #VaraguMudakattanDosai #KodoMudakattanDosai :

Kodo millet is known as #Varagarisi or simply #Varagu in Tamil and #Kodon or #Kodri in Hindi.
The botanical name is Paspalum scrobiculatum.
Kodo Millet is a minor millet that grows well even under severe adverse conditions like infertile soil and in drought places as rain fed crop. 
Kodo millet [ varagu ] is rich in fiber thus very good for diabetic patients.
Varagarisi [ varagu ] is rich in proteins and antioxidants.
This millet has good amount of minerals especially iron and zinc which is far far higher than that present in common cereals like rice and wheat.
Generally millet are non acid forming and gluten free in nature.



#MudakattanKeerai is a wild creeper commonly found on the road sides and in waste lands of villages. It is known as Balloon Vine or Love in a Puff or Heartseed or Heartseed vine. The botanical name is Cardiospermum halicacabum and Cardiospermum corindum. The leaves are rich source of antioxidants and its an anti inflammatory agent.



It is found that the extracts of leaves reduce fever. It is traditionally used as an anti arthritic agent and helps in reducing joint pain.
Generally I used to include mudakattan keerai paste with dosai maavu or grind with rice & urad dhal [ black gram ] to prepare Mudakattan dosai.

A few days back I have made maavu [ dough ] using mudakathan [ mudakattan ] keerai along with foxtail millet to prepare dosai. The dosai was made immediately after grinding without fermenting the maavu. The dosai came out nicely just like neer dosai and the taste was excellent.
Actually Mudakathan keerai becomes gooey and viscous when it has been made into paste just like okra [ Ladies finger]. The paste serves as a binding agent for the dosai maavu [ dosai batter ].
So I tried mudakattan keerai [ mudakathan keerai ] dosai with Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ]

The best part is that it requires only three ingredients to get an amazing tasty tasty greenish dosai!

Soaking time for Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ]     : 2 Hours
Grinding Time                                                     : 10 minutes
Number of Dosai                                                  : 12 - 15 Approx.

Ingredients :
1 cup	Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ]
1/4 cup	Coconut scrapings
1/3 cup	Mudakattan keerai [ Mudakathan keerai ]
1 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]

Gingelly oil [ Till / sesame oil ] or groundnut oil to make dosai on tawa.

Method :
Take Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ] in a vessel.
Wash twice with clean water.
Add 2 cups of water and soak for two hours.

Wash mudakattan keerai [ mudakathan keerai ] twice in clean water.
Drain over a cutting board or colander. Set aside.

After two hours take soaked Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ] and coconut scrapings in a mixie jar.
Add enough water and grind into a smooth batter.
Transfer into a vessel.

Now chop mudakattan keerai [ mudakathan keerai ] nicely.
Add chopped keerai into the mixie jar and grind into a smooth paste adding little water.

Transfer mudakattan keerai paste into the vessel containing varagarisi - coconut batter..
Wash the mixie jar with little water and pour into the vessel containing Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ]-coconut-mudakattan batter.
Add salt and mix well,
The batter should be watery just like Neer dosai batter.
Now batter is ready to make dosai on a tawa.

Heat a tawa [ dosai kal ] on stove over medium heat.
Pour quarter to half a teaspoon of oil on the surface of the tawa.
When the oil starts fuming start pouring dosai maavu from outer to inner as shown in the link below.

The method of making dosai from watery [ diluted ] dosai Batter

Sprinkle some oil on the surface of dosai.

Cook until the edge starts curling up and some golden spots start appearing.
Gently spread the oil that we have sprinkled earlier over the dosai with dosai ladle.
Transfer dosai to a serving plate.

No need to flip dosai and cook the other side.

Again grease tawa and make next dosai.


Relish hot dosai with any spicy chutney of your choice.


You might like to try

Cholam dosai

Masaal dosai

Thinai maavu dosai

Maavu dosai

Kambu dosai

Varagarisi Bisibelebath [ Kodo Millet Bisibelebath ]

Varagarisi Venthaya Kanji

Varagarisi Sundal [ Kodo millet Sundal ]

Varagarisi Thaegai Payasam [ Kodo millet Coconut Payasam ]

Varagarisi Thiruvaadhirai Kali

To try other Kodo millet recipes

Varagarisi [ Kodo millet ] Recipes


For other millet recipes

Millet Recipes

For Other recipes

Recipe Index