Khichdi

A comfort food is one which is meant to provide nostalgia and a feeling of well-being and warmth, which cannot be replicated anywhere else. It transports you to your childhood days – when your mum or dad would cook your favourite meal to devour after coming back from school. Khichdi is a complete comfort food for Indians and one of my absolute favourites. It’s typically one of the first solid foods that we feed infants with and is also a staple when someone is feeling under the weather.

It is a mixture of rice and lentils boiled together which is then blended with spices to give the dish its distinct flavours. It is not specific to any one region of India, yet anywhere you travel you are sure to find a different version of it. You can add fresh vegetables if you want to add a crunch or a more refreshing taste, or you can add different spices based on your own preferences! It is a dish which can be altered and adapted with ease and if you don’t like it on your first try its so simple to add or subtract any combination of ingredients to fit it to your liking.

Personally, I like to keep my khichdi simple, and make it different by adding a tempering and garnish on top. The tempering has traditional Indian spices such as garam masala and asafoetida which enhance the dish, while the fried onions, sprouts and coriander for the tempering help add a much needed texture which completes it. It’s a simple, comforting dish which is perfect for a lunch or a light dinner.

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HELPFUL TIPS AND TRICKS OF MAKING KHICHDI

• You can make khichdi in a pan, pressure cooker or instant pot. I prefer to make it in a pan.
• You may use veggies in the khichdi like spinach, carrots, potatoes, onion.
• To make this dish vegan, simply skip the ghee and use oil.
• The khichdi tastes best when it’s hot. It will become thick once it cools down or you keep it inside the refrigerator. Simply add more water and little salt and bring it to a desired consistency when heating it up again.

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Khichdi

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal, washed
• 1 tsp fresh turmeric, grated or 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tomato, finely chopped

For Tempering:

• 1 tbsp ghee (or oil for vegans)
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida 
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 finely chopped green chilli
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala

For Garnish:

• Fried onions
• Sprouts
• Chillies
• Coriander leaves

method

1. Wash the rice and moong dal a couple of times and soak them in water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain the water and set aside.
2. In a large pan, add the washed rice and moong dal, grated turmeric, ginger, salt, tomato and 4 cups of water. Put on a medium-high flame and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the contents of the pan. Keep a check and add more boiling water as required, until the lentils are soft and mushy.
3. When done, mash the khichdi slightly to get a porridge like consistency. Add more water if needed. Taste the salt and adjust according to your taste.
4. Heat ghee in a tempering pan (small pan), add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When they splutter, reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chillies, chilli powder and garam masala. Add 1 tbsp of water to prevent the spices from burning. Switch of the gas. 
5. Transfer the khichdi to serving plates and pour the tempering on it. Garnish with fried onions, sprouts, chilies and coriander leaves. 

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you did, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @poetryofspices!