A Reinvented Maharashtrian Fasting Classic

This Mother’s Day, I shared a video I had captured during my last visit to Pune. I shot it while my mom was in her kitchen, walking me through two simple dishes I grew up eating: varyache tandul (barnyard millet “rice”) and daanyachi amti (a peanut-yogurt curry). It’s a traditional Maharashtrian meal usually made on religious fasting days, and I didn’t know how to make it. But watching the video—ghee sizzling, ingredients added instinctively—brought back a flood of memories. Inspired by that, I made Peas & Millets Pilaf with Spinach & Peanut Curry —a reimagined version that kept her flavors but added my own modern spin.

It was one of those days when I craved something light but comforting, something that reminded me of home and of her. So I cooked the same dishes she taught me—but this time, I switched things up, just a little!

I stirred sweet green peas into the millets and swapped the starchy potatoes in the peanut curry with chopped spinach. Same soul, just a little more green. The best part? Both the pilaf and curry were on my plate in less than 30 minutes!

My Mom’s Version & Mine

Even today, my mom still makes this meal regularly—on fasting holidays and also on non-fasting days. Her version is humble but pure comfort—varai (barnyard millet) cooked with green chilies and cumin in ghee, and a gently spiced peanut curry thickened with ground peanuts and soft chunks of potato.

My version keeps her foundation intact, but adds more green into the mix. The peas add a pop of color and light sweetness to the nutty millet, while the spinach in the curry melts beautifully into the base, giving it a fresh earthiness and nutritional boost.

It still tastes like home—just modernized to reflect the way I cook today. Plus, it’s a weeknight win: both the pilaf and curry are ready in just 30 minutes!

Breaking the Upvas Rules

Varyache tandul (वर्‍याचे तांदूळ) and daanyachi amti (दाण्याची आमटी) are traditional Maharashtrian dishes commonly made during upvas or fasting days.

Varyache tandul refers to barnyard millet—also known as sama, samak, moraiyo, or bhagar depending on the region—and is often cooked like rice. It’s naturally gluten-free, quick to prepare, and easy on the stomach, which makes it ideal for fasting meals.

Daanyachi amti is a simple, comforting curry made by mixing roasted and ground peanuts with yogurt or buttermilk. The mixture is flavored with cumin, green chili, and occasionally coconut or jaggery depending on the region or family recipe. It’s spiced mildly, as is typical of fasting food, and pairs beautifully with the nutty texture of barnyard millet.

In the traditional fasting diet, only certain vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cucumber are allowed—green peas and spinach are not. That’s where I bend the rules a bit. I add green peas to the millet for a touch of sweetness and fiber, and stir spinach into the curry for extra iron, folate, and color.

These small additions make the meal more nutritious and satisfying, while still keeping the spirit of the original intact.

Serving & Making it Your Own

Whenever I make this dish, I love to complete the plate with a cooling side of kakdichi koshimbir. Either of the two versions work, the lime-dressed version or the creamy yogurt one, depending on my mood. Together, the three make a wholesome, well-rounded meal: soft and nutty millet, warm peanut curry with gentle spice, and that refreshing cucumber crunch on the side.

I’ve already shared my Kakdichi Koshimbir Two Ways on the blog, and either version works beautifully here.

Another way I love to serve it? As a bowl. I simply spoon the warm peanut curry over a mound of millet pilaf and top it with koshimbir. It becomes a cozy, plant-powered bowl meal that’s just right for lunch or dinner—nourishing, comforting, and full of flavor.

Now, you don’t have to stick with barnyard millet for this recipe! This pilaf works beautifully with other whole millets like Little millet, Foxtail millet and Kodo or proso millet.

You could also change up the greens—try edamame, green pigeon peas or green chickpeas in place of peas. Baby kale, chard, or amaranth leaves (lal bhaji or chaulai) all work well in place of spinach. In spring or summer, tender beet greens or even a mix of microgreens can be a nice touch—just chop finely and stir in at the end. You can even mix in some diced or grated zucchini or yellow squash during summer or diced butternut squash in fall!

Why You’ll Love It

This isn’t just a nourishing meal—it’s a reimagined take on classic fasting food, full of comforting textures and the familiar, feel-good flavors of home. My mom’s original meal is still my north star, but I love that this version brings in a little more green, a little more nutrition, and a lot of heart. And the best part—they’re both ready in under 30 minutes, making this meal as practical as it is comforting.

This recipe keeps all the soul of a traditional Maharashtrian fasting meal—simple, nourishing, and gently spiced—but with a little more veggie power. It’s gluten-free, wholesome, and full of quiet comfort. Whether you’re familiar with the traditional version or discovering it for the first time, this is nourishing meal with roots in ritual and a place in a modern kitchen, is quick to make and even easier to love.

Peas & Millets Pilaf with Spinach & Peanut Curry

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• Author: Vasanti
• Yield: 2–3 servings 1x

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Description

A nourishing millet and peanut curry meal with greens—light, plant-based, full of flavor, and ready in no time.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

Spinach & Peanut Curry 

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped (see Variations)

Fresh Ground Curry Paste

• 1–2 green chilies, chopped
• 3–4 sprigs of cilantro/coriander leaves
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• Salt to taste
• Sugar or jaggery, to taste
• 1/2 cup of yogurt
• 1 cup water

Peas & Millets Pilaf

• 1 1/2 cups varai (barnyard millet) (see FAQs & Notes + Variations)
• 1 tbsp ghee (see Variations)
• 1–2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (see Variations)
• Salt to taste
• Sugar or jaggery, to taste

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Instructions

Make the Curry Paste

• Add all the ingredients for the curry paste to a grinder or a blender and process until it comes together well with a coarse consistency.

Make the Peanut Curry

• In a small pot, heat ghee. Add cumin and let them sizzle. 
• Pour the curry paste into the cumin-scented ghee.
• Rinse the grinder with very little water (about ½ cup) and add it to the pot. Give it a good stir. 
• Stir in the chopped spinach and adjust seasonings if needed.
• Simmer covered for 15-20 minutes till the curry thickens and the spinach wilts.
• While the curry simmers, make the pilaf.

Making the Pilaf

• Rinse the millet under cold tap water a couple of times and set aside.
• In a pan, heat ghee, add cumin seeds and green chilies.
• Sauté briefly, then add the rinsed millets, followed by water, ground peanuts, salt and sugar or jaggery.
• Add in the fresh or frozen green peas.
• Stir to combine everything well.
• Cover and cook on low heat until water is absorbed, millet is fluffy and peas are soft and wrinkly, about 15-20 minutes.

To serve

• Spoon the peanut curry over the millet pilaf and serve hot. Optionally, top with a side of kakdichi koshimbir for a complete meal.

Notes

You’ll find a video of my mom making the traditional version of these two dishes above. It’s where this recipe starts—then I take her base recipe and add my own little twists: green peas in the millet, and spinach instead of potatoes in the curry.