Khichdi
Rice and moong dal cooked together to a soft, savoury porridge. The dish people make when they are ill, and eat when they are not.
- Prep
- 10m
- Cook
- 30m
- Waiting
- 5m
- Total
- 45m
- Serves
- 4
- Effort
- Easy
Scale
Units
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done. Tap an ingredient once for got it, twice for need it.
| 2 tbsp | Fry the aromatics 6m | Add the rinsed grains and toss in the fat 3m | Simmer covered until soft and porridge-like 25m Stir occasionally and add hot water if it tightens. It should pour off a spoon. | Pour the ghee tempering over just before serving 2m | |
| 1 tsp | |||||
| 1 | |||||
| 1 tbsp | |||||
| 1 tsp | |||||
| 3/4 cup | Rinse together until the water runs clear 5m | ||||
| 3/4 cup | |||||
| 5 cups | |||||
| 2 tsp | |||||
| 200 g | |||||
| 2 tbsp | Fry until the seeds crackle 2m | ||||
| 1 tsp | |||||
| 1 | |||||
| a pinch | |||||
| 1 tbsp | |||||
| a handful | |||||
-
Fry the aromatics
6m- ghee 2 tbsp
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- onion 1
- ginger 1 tbsp
- ground turmeric 1 tsp
-
Rinse together until the water runs clear
5m- basmati rice 3/4 cup
- split yellow moong dal 3/4 cup
-
Add the rinsed grains and toss in the fat
3m- from 1 Fry the aromatics
- from 2 Rinse together until the water runs clear
-
Simmer covered until soft and porridge-like
25m- from 3 Add the rinsed grains and toss in the fat
- water 5 cups
- salt 2 tsp
- mixed vegetables (optional) 200 g
Stir occasionally and add hot water if it tightens. It should pour off a spoon.
-
Fry until the seeds crackle
2m- ghee 2 tbsp
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- dried red chilli 1
- asafoetida a pinch
-
Pour the ghee tempering over just before serving
2m- from 4 Simmer covered until soft and porridge-like
- from 5 Fry until the seeds crackle
- lemon juice 1 tbsp
- coriander leaves a handful
Why moong dal
Split yellow moong is skinless and cooks in about the same time as rice, which is what makes this a genuinely one-pot dish. It also breaks down completely into a creamy background rather than staying as distinct lentils. Any other dal needs a head start.
Notes
- Roughly 1 : 4 grain to water by volume for a loose khichdi. Use less for a firmer, pilaf-like version.
- It thickens dramatically on standing. Loosen with hot water when reheating.
- Ghee at the end is not a garnish here — it is most of the flavour.