For a quick but nourishing meal, we all resort to our comfort food. In all likelihood, your comfort food is the same as mine, Khichadi (rice, moong daal cooked with minimal or no spices added).
We all have the *most* basic version. But sometimes, even the humble version needs a makeover with almonds and raisins and some spices.
And then we all have that version where we want to sneak in vegetables and make children ( and in some cases, older people) eat them.
During my recent India trip, my father caught a bug and came down with fever and had lost all his appetite. He lost weight and weakness enveloped him. It was so heart breaking to see him like that.
Of course in a few days he was on the mend, slowly and along with medication and tonics, good food was needed.
This khichadi, has warming spices that give it the taste and perk up blah! taste buds. The vegetables and the moong daal (split and skin on) amp up the nutrition.
While it tastes good on it's own, with the (mandatory, imho) generous drizzle of ghee, the popular saying, Ghee, Papad, Dahi, Achar : Khichadi ke hai char yaar, is perfect for this version.
Source: Here
1 cup split Moong daal with green skin on
1.5 Cup Basmati / Ambe Mohar rice
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 small Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 med Onion chopped
1/2 C Green peas
2-3 tbs oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilies powder
5 green cardamoms, peeled
2 small sticks Cinnamon
4 Cloves
2 tsp Cumin
4 Bay leaves
2 tsp Coriander seed powder
10 small garlic cloves or 4 large ones
1 inch Ginger
Salt and sugar to taste
Lightly roast the moong daal.
Combine the daal and rice and wash 3-4 times until the water runs clear.
Powder the cardamom, cloves and the cinnamon.
On a separate burner, set 5 cups of water to boil.
Heat oil in an heavy bottom pan ( I prefer to use my pressure pan)
add the cumin, bay leaves and onion.
Add the ginger- garlic paste. Add the washed and drained rice and daal.
Add the coriander seeds powder and the masala and the red chilies powder.
Add the chopped vegetables ( you can add the vegetables with the rice and daal as well).
Sauté.
Add the boiling water, salt and sugar to taste.
Lower the heat and cook till done.
Alternatively, use a pressure cooker ( 3 whistles and on low heat for 10 mins)
Drizzle, generously, with ghee and chopped cilantro and serve.
1 cup split Moong daal with green skin on
1.5 Cup Basmati / Ambe Mohar rice
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 small Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 med Onion chopped
1/2 C Green peas
2-3 tbs oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilies powder
5 green cardamoms, peeled
2 small sticks Cinnamon
4 Cloves
2 tsp Cumin
4 Bay leaves
2 tsp Coriander seed powder
10 small garlic cloves or 4 large ones
1 inch Ginger
Salt and sugar to taste
Lightly roast the moong daal.
Combine the daal and rice and wash 3-4 times until the water runs clear.
Powder the cardamom, cloves and the cinnamon.
On a separate burner, set 5 cups of water to boil.
Heat oil in an heavy bottom pan ( I prefer to use my pressure pan)
add the cumin, bay leaves and onion.
Add the ginger- garlic paste. Add the washed and drained rice and daal.
Add the coriander seeds powder and the masala and the red chilies powder.
Add the chopped vegetables ( you can add the vegetables with the rice and daal as well).
Sauté.
Add the boiling water, salt and sugar to taste.
Lower the heat and cook till done.
Alternatively, use a pressure cooker ( 3 whistles and on low heat for 10 mins)
Drizzle, generously, with ghee and chopped cilantro and serve.
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| Khichadi with vegetables and golden home made ghee |
I have another version of khichadi that I make often, involving usage of 'goda masala' and hopefully I will blog about it soon (not too soon, though).
After all, there is no such thing as 'too much khichadi'.
8 comments:
Love the saying "Ghee, Papad, Dahi, Achar : Khichadi ke hai char yaar!" So true. :-) I hope your father is doing better now Mansi. Khichdi topped with ghee (which I totally agree is a must) looks sooo comforting!
Siri
Hi Pallavi, I was just thinking of making khichdi for dinner, and here's your post. The khichdi looks delicious. Agreed, no such thing as too much khichdi.
Hope you're dad's all better now.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but should the moong dal be soaked prior to using them in this recipe? Can't wait to make it; I love Indian food!
Thank you, Siri. My father is well now, small ups and down are expected at his age (83).
I love khichadi and its variations, but yes, ghee is the constant. :)
Thank you, Vaishali. He is fine (touchwood!).
I hope you try and like this khichadi. Let me know if you do.
Thank you, Kathryn, I do hope you will try this version.
To answer your question, I do not soak moong daal. The thing with moond daal is, it is it cooks very easily ( and is also lighter to digest) and will soften easily when cooking.
In this recipe, you need to first lightly roast the daal and then wash it with rice. At this point, you can soak both rice and daal in water till it's time to add it, it's optional.
I usually wash and drain and set it aside to be added at the right stage.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Looks tempting!!! Can't wait to try��
Love
Vandu
Thank you, V! Hope you do and you all like it. Let me know.
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