Kodo Millet Rice | Arikelu | Varagu

🌾 An Ancient Indian Millet, Back on the Everyday Plate

Looking for Shree Anna / millets to bring more grain diversity to your meals?

Meet *Kodo Millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) — an ancient Indian small millet known as Arikelu / Arika in Telugu, Varagu in Tamil, Harka in Kannada and Kodo/Kodon in Hindi*.

If you already eat millets, Kodo is a great grain to add to your rotation. If you are just beginning, cook it like rice and pair it with the foods you already love — dal, sambar, rasam, curries or curd.

🌾 Know Your Kodo Millet

English: Kodo Millet
Scientific Name: Paspalum scrobiculatum
Telugu: Arikelu / Arika
Tamil: Varagu
Kannada: Harka
Hindi: Kodo / Kodon
Marathi / Gujarati: Kodra

Small grain. Many regional names. One of India's traditional millet foods.

🍚 What Does Kodo Millet Taste Like?

Kodo has a mild, earthy taste and a slightly rustic texture compared with polished white rice.

Cook it soft for everyday rice-style meals or use it for:

🍚 Millet Rice
🥣 Khichdi
🌿 Pongal
🍋 Lemon Millet / Pulihora
🥕 Vegetable Upma
🥞 Dosa & Idli
🍮 Kheer / Payasam

You don't have to change your entire meal.

Just change the grain.

✨ Why Bring Kodo Millet Home?

🌾 Traditional Indian Grain — A millet with a long history in Indian dryland food traditions.

🍚 Easy to Fit Into Indian Meals — Pair with your regular dal, sambar, rasam, pulusu and curries.

🥣 Versatile in the Kitchen — From rice and khichdi to dosa, pongal and kheer.

🔄 More Grain Diversity — Rotate Kodo with Foxtail, Little, Barnyard and other millets instead of depending only on rice and wheat.

👩🍳 How to Cook Kodo Millet

1️⃣ Rinse
Wash thoroughly 2–3 times.

2️⃣ Soak
Soak for around 6-8 hours for a softer, more even texture.

3️⃣ Cook
For rice-style cooking, start with:

1 cup soaked Kodo Millet + approximately 2.5 cups water

Pressure cook for around 4 whistles or cook covered until the grains are soft and the water is absorbed.

4️⃣ Rest
Keep covered for 8–10 minutes, then gently fluff.

💡 Adjust the water slightly depending on whether you prefer separate grains or a softer rice-like texture.

🍽️ Make Your Familiar Meals With Kodo

Breakfast: Kodo Upma / Pongal / Dosa
Lunch: Kodo Rice + Dal + Vegetable Curry
Comfort Meal: Kodo Khichdi
Andhra Style: Arika Pulihora / Lemon Arika
Dinner: Kodo Rice + Rasam / Sambar
Something Sweet: Kodo Kheer / Payasam

🌾 Kodo Millet — Arikelu — Arika — Varagu.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can Kodo Millet replace rice?

Kodo Millet can be cooked in a rice-style preparation and served with dal, sambar, rasam, curries and curd. Its flavour and texture, however, are different from polished white rice.

Does Kodo Millet need soaking?

Soaking for around 6-8 hours can help achieve a softer, more evenly cooked texture.

What can I make with Kodo Millet?

Try Kodo rice, khichdi, pongal, upma, pulihora, dosa, idli, kheer and payasam.

🛒 Bring an Old Indian Grain Back to Your Plate

From Arikelu in Telugu homes to Varagu in Tamil kitchens, Kodo Millet carries different names across India — but the idea is beautifully simple:

🌾 More grains. More variety. More traditional foods on our plates.

Adithi Millets — Millets for Millions.