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    Home » Indian recipes » Pilaf & rice

    Dal khichdi recipe | Simple Rice and lentil porridge

    11th October 2023 by bhavana bhatia Leave a Comment

    16 shares
    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Dal khichdi is a one-pot recipe, full of nutrients. It also is my go-to recipe when you are just in no mood to cook. It has carbs from rice, proteins and iron from lentils and vitamins from veggies. A basic khichdi recipe is a comfort food for many, especially when sick. It is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan too. However, this Indian dish can be made in different ways. Add lentils and veggies of your choice and make it your own special one pot meal. Also, helps you finish those left over veggies in your refrigerator, which may go to garbage bin otherwise.

    You can make it via pressure cooking in a traditional pressure cooker, instant pot and even a deep pan. You can make it with brown rice too if you want to avoid white rice. The below recipe is for making khichdi with red lentils (masoor dal), but you can use green moong dal, yellow moong lentils or toor dal too. We use basic spices to make this recipe.

    khichdi recipe masoor dal
    masala khichdi
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • red lentil khichdi recipe | masur dal khichdi recipe
    • Related links
    • Variations and Substitutions

    Ingredients

    • rice (with quinoa optional)
    • red lentils/ masur dal
    • tomatoes medium
    • Veggies (carrot,peas,spinach )
    • water

    Tempering

    • oil/ghee if vegetarian
    • cumin seeds/ jeera
    • ginger chopped
    • green chilly chopped ( increase to 2 as per your taste)
    • salt as per taste

    Refer to recipe card for quantity.

    Step-by-step instructions

    1. Soak the red lentils and rice for 15-20 mins after washing them. Alternatively you may soak them in hot water for 10 mins if in a rush.
    masur dal khichdi step soak

    2. Heat ghee or oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add ginger.

    masur dal khichdi step 2

    3. Add chopped tomatoes along with some salt.

    masur dal khichdi step 3

    4. Mix well and cook until they soften.

    masur dal khichdi step 4

    5. Add the soaked lentil-rice mix to the vegetables.

    masur dal khichdi step 5

    6. Add 4 cups of water(if using ½ cup rice with ½ cup lentils) to the lentil rice mixture.

    masur dal khichdi step 6

    7. Add spices. Add any optional vegetables like carrots and peas now.

    masur dal khichdi step 7

    8. Let it come to a boil. Cover and cook on a low flame until lentils soften.

    masur dal khichdi step 8

    9. Add chopped spinach and mix well. Cook your palak khichdi recipe for 5 minutes.

    masur dal khichdi step 9

    Serving suggestion: Serve hot with papad and pickle. You may also serve it with yogurt or boondi raita if not vegan.

    red lentil khichadi
    red lentil kichadi
    easy masur dal khichdi
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    red lentil khichdi recipe | masur dal khichdi recipe

    red lentil khichdi or masur dal khichdi is a great comfort meal when you are in no mood to cook. Learn how to make khichdi and save money too.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Rice bowl
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: dal khichdi, easy khichdi recipe, masala khichdi, red lentil khichdi
    Servings: 4
    Author: bhavana bhatia

    Equipment

    • Pot
    • Masher optional

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup rice
    • ½ cup red lentil dal /masur dal
    • 2 tomatoes medium
    • 4 cups water to be used for cooking lentils and rice.
    • 1 cup carrots chopped
    • ½ cup peas
    • 1 cup spinach optional

    Tempering

    • 1 tbsp. oil / ghee if vegetarian
    • ½ tbsp. cumin seeds
    • 1 tsp. ginger chopped
    • 1 tbsp. curry powder
    • Salt as per taste

    Instructions

    • Soak the red lentils and rice for 15-20 mins after washing them. Alternatively, you may soak them in hot water for 10 mins if in a rush.Drain the excess water.
    • 2. Heat oil or ghee in a pot. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add ginger.
    • Add chopped tomatoes along with some salt.
    • Mix well and cook until they soften.
    • Add the soaked lentil-rice mix to the vegetables.
    • Add water to the lentil rice mixture.
    • Add spices.Add the veggies to the mix now.
    • Let it come to a boil. Cover and cook on a low flame until lentils soften.
    • Optionally add chopped spinach and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.
    • Serve hot with papad and pickle. You may also serve it with yogurt or boondi raita if not vegan.

    Notes

    You may decrease or increase the amount of water as per your choice. Some people like it runny while other like it slightly thick. Add some more water after you have pressure cooked, and heat if you would like the texture little runny. Adjust salt accordingly. You may add whole spices like bay leaf, black pepper,dry red chilies, black cardamom as per your choice or simply add 1-2 green chillies / 1 teaspoon red chili powder if required.

    Related links

    • Tomato rice
    • Palak rice / Indian spinach rice
    • Lemon rice
    • Vegan tom yum rice
    • Veg fried rice
    • Pulihora/ tamarind rice
    • Broccoli fried rice
    • sakarai pongal
    • Ven pongal

    Variations and Substitutions

    • For the vegetarian option: Add a dollop of ghee or butter on top of vegetable khichdi recipe. It tastes divine. Just pair it with some yogurt while serving.
    • For the vegan option: You may pair it with some lemon pickle or mango chutney and papad if you are vegan. You can even pair with a simple moringa curry.That's it, easy meal!
    • You can add vegetables of your choice to this like cabbage, cauliflower, green peas, onions, green beans as a variation.
    • Another great gluten-free recipe is quinoa khichdi, sambar sadam, sabudana khichadi. Other important khichadi recipes are millet khichdi like bajra khichdi, sama khichdi.
    • Other popular ones are Bengali khichuri served in Pooja pandals or bhoger khichuri recipe served with chutney.
    • Simple Gujarati khichdi or vaghareli khichdi recipe, Makai ni khichadi and Fada khichadi or dalia khichdi.
    • These days even oats and quinoa khichdi are popular.You don't need anything fancy, khichdi lentils can be a mix of whatever lentils you have at home.

    FAQs

    What is the importance of khichdi?

    It helps detox the system and improve immunity. Very important meal when you are recovering.

    Why is khichdi called khichdi?

    The word khichdi or khichri comes from a Sanskrit word khiccha and is one of the first meals of a baby.

    Is khichdi a complete meal?

    Yes as it has carbohydrates, proteins ,fiber and vitamins.It can be considered as a superfood.

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    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi,I am Bhavana & this is my wonderland of recipes.I have been in IT for 15+ years have always loved writing.My husband Gaurav & I,love to cook, click & host people

    More about me →

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