KHICHDI

Course: Lunch/Dinner Menu

Preparation time: 25 minutes     Cooking time:  10 minutes     Total time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• For soaking rice and lentil:
• ½ cup split moong lentil
• ½ cup rice, any type of rice can be used, I use basmati rice
• Both rice and lentil should be washed 2 to 3 times and kept in water until other items are being prepared

Other Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of ghee or any oil as per your choice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp of black mustard seeds
• 1 large onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1½ inch ginger chopped in a food processor or cut into tiny pieces
• 1 green chili, chopped or cut into small pieces (optional)
• ½ tsp of red flake chili (optional)
• ½ an inch of lemon rind, nicely grated (optional)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
• ½ courgette cut into small pieces or grated
• 2 carrots cut into small pieces or grated
• 2 to 3 sprigs of broccoli, cut into small pieces
• ½ red pepper and ½ yellow pepper, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp frozen peas 1 tsp rock salt. More can be added after tasting
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tsp of garam masala (optional)
• A few sprigs of fresh coriander are cut into small pieces, coarsely

Method:

1. 1. Place the pressure cooker on medium/high heat.
2. Add ghee. As soon as the ghee becomes hot, add cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as it starts bubbling, add the mixture of onion, ginger, and garlic and cook these for 7 to 8 minutes stirring often. Once the color changes to light pink, add turmeric, salt, coriander powder, and fenugreek leaves. Then add all the vegetables and peas. Mix these nicely. Keep on stirring these for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add water and close the pressure cooker. Let it go for 2 whistles and switch off the heat.
4. Let the pressure cooker release the pressure on its own.
5. When it cools down, mix the khichdi nicely. The consistency should be a little softer than that of rice.
6. Sprinkle garam masala and cover it so that flavor is retained.
7. Sprinkle fresh coriander before serving.

Special Notes:

1. To make it vegan, ghee can be replaced with any oil of your choice
2. Khichdi is normally eaten with yogurt and pickles.