Khichdi is a South Asian rice dish made of rice and dal (split beans such as lentils, peas, green beans, etc.). This dish is generally considered an Indian snack, served to people who have stomach aches, colds or flu. This easy-to-digest vegetarian dish is simple, delicious, and satisfying, and will become a staple in your diet! Consider your choice of spices (it's okay to skip a few spices if you need to or if you're not sure).
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1/2 cup dal (lentils, green beans, chickpeas)
- 3-4 glasses of water
- 2 cloves of garlic (medium size), finely chopped
- 2 green chilies
- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste (or the equivalent of finely chopped garlic and ginger)
- 2 potatoes (medium size), diced 2.5 cm
- 1/2 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2-1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of asafoetida
- A few curry leaves
- Salt to taste
- For sprinkling: 2-3 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 red chilies, 6-8 finely chopped garlic cloves
Step
Part 1 of 2: Cooking Rice and Dal
Step 1. Wash and soak the rice and dal
Rinse both with a sieve until clean, then place into a bowl of water, let stand for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, drain the rice and dal and set aside
Step 2. Heat the oil
Do this in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
- If you prefer, you can use an equivalent amount of ghee for this step, instead of oil.
- Use a medium pressure cooker, about 5 liters.
Step 3. Add the mustard seeds and 1 1/2 tsp of the cumin seeds
Once it starts to hiss, move on to the next step.
Cumin, also known as jeera, has a spicy taste that is perfect for a variety of uses. Cumin is also considered medicinal and has been used to treat digestion, blood pressure, heart rate, and various other health problems
Step 4. Add curry leaves and asafoetida
Saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Curry leaves, or kadi patta, are a common ingredient in Indian cuisine, and are believed to have many health benefits, including warding off anemia, heart disease, and liver damage, regulating blood sugar levels, reducing diarrhea and constipation, and more.
- Asafoetida is another important spice in Indian cuisine. It is considered medicinal, including anti-bloating, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial, and is used as a laxative, nerve stimulant, expectorant and sedative.
Step 5. Add chopped onions
Saute onions until transparent.
Step 6. Add the ginger and garlic paste
Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Step 7. Add vegetables
In this recipe, add potato wedges and peas. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
Feel free to experiment with adding vegetables. You can try cauliflower florets, carrot chunks, cabbage, green beans, etc
Step 8. Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander and garam masala
Stir well and saute for 2-3 seconds.
- The bright yellow nutrient-rich turmeric (also called haldi) is considered an antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antimutagen and anti-inflammatory agent.
- Garam masala is a term for a common spice mix found in north Indian cuisine. Including cloves, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom.
Step 9. Add the drained rice and dal marinade
Saute for only a few seconds.
Step 10. Add water and bring to a boil
Stir in the ingredients and salt to taste.
The amount of water you add here depends on the desired texture. For mushy khichdi, use twice the water for the total amount of rice and dal, plus an extra cup (here, 2(1+0, 5)=3+1=4). If you prefer a more structured version, use a little water (here, 3 cups)
Step 11. Cover the pressure cooker and cook over high heat
Once you hear the first whistle, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the pressure cooker whistles twice.
Step 12. Turn off the heat and cool the pressure cooker completely
After a few minutes, open the pressure cooker. Now the water will be completely absorbed into the khichi.
Part 2 of 2: Preparing the Sprinkles
Step 1. Melt the ghee in a frying pan
Use medium heat.
Ghee is butter. If you can't find it in the store, you can make your own
Step 2. Make a tadka
Tadka means "mixture," and the process includes extracting the essence of the spice by heating it with oil or ghee. From here add the cumin seeds, and once it sizzles, add the chopped red chilies and garlic. Fry for only a few seconds.
Step 3. Pour the tadka over the khichdi
Stir well and serve the khichdi hot!
Garnish with cilantro if you like
Step 4. Done
Tips
- Fried vegetables can be mixed with cooked khichdi.
- Khichdi are usually served with papadum, gizzard (fried eggplant in besan dough), ghee (butter), achar (pickled oil), cucumber raita, and/or yogurt (kadi).
- Most of the spices in this recipe can be found at major grocery stores. If you're having trouble finding it, try looking for it in the Asian market in your area.
