What is khichdi?
Dal khichdi recipe is a one pot meal, full of nutrients. It also saves the day 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 meal for many, especially when sick. It is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan too. However, it can be made special too. 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 in a 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, but you can use split moong lentils too.
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Equipment
- Saucepan / pot
- Masher
Ingredients
- rice
- 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.
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.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a pot. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add ginger.
3. Add chopped tomatoes along with some salt.
4. Mix well and cook until they soften.
5. Add the soaked lentil-rice mix to the vegetables.
6. Add 4 cups of water(if using ½ cup rice with ½ cup lentils) to the lentil rice mixture.
7. Add spices. Add any optional vegetables like carrots and peas now.
8. Let it come to a boil. Cover and cook on a low flame until lentils soften.
9. Add chopped spinach and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.
Serving suggestion: Serve hot with papad and pickle. You may also serve it with yogurt or boondi raita if not vegan.
Variations
For the vegetarian option: Add a dollop of ghee or butter on top of simple 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. That's it, easy meal!
You can add a variety of veggies to this like carrots, peas, onions, beans as a variation.
Substitution
Another great gluten-free recipe is Sago pilaf or sabudana khichdi. Another important khichadi recipes are millet khichdi like bajra khichdi, sama khichdi. Other popular ones are Bengali khichuri served in Pooja pandals,simple Gujarati khichdi/ vaghareli khichdi recipe, Makai ni khichdi and Fada khichdi or dalia khichdi. These days even oats khichdi and quinoa khichdi are popular.You don't need anything fancy, khichdi lentils can be a mix of whatever lentils you have at home.
Related links
FAQs
It helps detox the system and improve immunity. Very important meal when you are recovering.
khichadi or khichri comes from a Sanskrit word khiccha and is one of the first meals of a baby.
Yes as it has carbohydrates, proteins ,fiber and vitamins.It can be considered as a superfood.
red lentil khichdi recipe | masur dal khichdi
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
Food Safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always reheat leftover food before consumption. Discard if it tastes rancid or smells different.
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