Khichdi Recipe | How to make Rice and Dal Recipe

2012-12-06
  • Servings : 3-4
  • Prep Time : 5m
  • Cook Time : 10m
  • Ready In : 20m

If you were to ask what is the favourite one pot meal in India, I would say Khichdi. Even my non-Indian friends love it.

The lifesaver of a million  mums, it is the one food that we all turn to, when time is short but the tummy begs for some comfort food to eat.

There might be a million ways to make Khichdi, different combinations of vegetables, different dals, different Tadka (seasoning) – the result? Always one simmering hot pot.

I often turn to this when I’m hardpressed for time and I want something wholesome. It was especially useful when my son was small and there was never much time to cook.

Ingredients

  • Rice- 1 cup
  • Dal- 1/2 cup
  • Green Chilli- 1
  • Potatoes diced- 1/2 cup or 1 medium
  • Onion diced- 1/2 cup
  • Ginger grated- 1 tsp
  • Garlic cloves- 2 smashed
  • Jeera (Cumin ) seeds- 1 tsp
  • Asafoetida powder( Hing)- 1 pinch
  • Carrots, Peas or mixed vegetables- 1/2 cup
  • Salt- to taste

Method

Wash the dal and rice, in several changes of water till then water runs clear. You could either use mung dal ( skinless or slit with skin ) or toor dal. Both dals taste good, and I tend to use whichever I have at home. Masoor dal does not have any bosy and tends to make the Khichdi watery and tasteless, so it is best avoided.

Chop the onions and potatoes. That’s what I use when I’m in a rush. But you could add cauliflower, carrots, peas, sweetcorn- whatever you like.

   

In a pressure cooker, add ghee. Smash a couple of garlic pods. When the ghee is hot, add garlic pods, when brown, add jeera( cumin seeds), asafoetida, ginger and green chilles and salt. Not everyone likes garlic in their Khichdi, but I do.

The Bengalis  add whole garam masala – cinnamon, elaichi and cloves in the oil, and their Khichdi is slightly sweeter.

When the jeera splutters, quickly add the washed dal and rice. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the vegetables and salt.

Close the pressure cooker and cook for as long as you would cook rice. This can be cooked in a large pot for about 30-40 minutes, if you do not have a pressure cooker.

Always serve with ghee.

My husband loves eating this with fried fish on the side or an omelette or scrambled eggs.

My sister likes having this with Kadhi.

And me?  Well, I like everything 🙂

 

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