Wash and soak the bajra (pearl millet/ kambu) in sufficient water to cover about 1 cm above the surface of the millets. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Next morning or when ready to begin making the bajra khichdi, slice green chilies, mince the ginger. If using onion, garlic etc as per the additional list of ingredients above, slice the onions into small pieces, dice the tomatoes and vegetables into ½ cm sizes pieces. Crush the garlic. Shred the curry leaves and coriander leaves

Drain the soaked millets Wash and drain the moong dal lentils. Check that there are no stones in either the millets or the dal. Add salt and turmeric powder/ half and pressure cook in 3 cups of water for 4 whistles. Optional: If adding vegetables such as potato or cauliflower, dice them into small cubes and add with the bajra and dal in the cooker. Similarly add peas or shredded palak to the mixture. Allow the cooker to lose steam by itself and do not open till pressure is completely released. This will give the khichdi time to cook well.

In a wide pan, heat ghee on low flame Once the ghee melts and before it begins to smoke, add jeera seeds, sautéing for a few seconds. Add green chillies, turning them over so that all sides are scalded. Add ginger and saute for a few seconds Add hing powder

If making Masala Bajra khichdi, substitute this step for the one above: In a wide pan, heat ghee on low flame Once the ghee melts and before it begins to smoke, add jeera seeds, sautéing for a few seconds. Add onion seeds, saute for 2 seconds Add green chillies, turning them over so that all sides are scalded. Add onion slices and saute till the onions become translucent Add ginger and saute for a few seconds; Add garlic and saute for a few seconds Add hing powder and stir it into the masala Add tomato slices, again saute for a few seconds Add sliced vegetables if using and saute for 5 minutes or till vegetables are cooked (see first instruction above for How to make Bajra Khichi, and add the vegetables when pressure cooking the bajra instead of at this stage). Add the bay leaf and stir

For either simple khichdi or for masala khichdi, continue from here: Drain and add the cooked bajra and moong dal. Usually the water would have got absorbed by the khichdi, but if not, drain and reserve the water (do not discard it). Stir well into the tadka (mixture of spices and condiments in oil) Saute for 3-4 minutes Taste for salt and add more if required. If the khichdi is thick, add the water which you had earlier drained from the cooked bajra/dal or add about ½ a cup of water and stir well. You want the khichdi to flow, but not be too runny. Also keep in mind that the khichdi will thicken as it cools. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with melted ghee. Serve Bajra Khichdi hot with kadhi, a glass of chaas (buttermilk) or with curds and pappad.