Protein ·
Vegetables ·
Khichdi – it’s packed with lentils, rice, and warming spices, making it the perfect dish for when you need something simple yet satisfying. Best served with a poppadom.
Category
Lunch
Servings
6
Prep time
25 minutes
Cook time
25 minutes
Khichdi – it’s packed with lentils, rice, and warming spices, making it the perfect dish for when you need something simple yet satisfying. Best served with a poppadom.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100g) basmati rice
- ½ cup (100g) red lentils
- ½ cup (100g) yellow split peas
- 1 red onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
-
thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 3 small green chillies, finely sliced
-
3 tbsp ghee
-
1 tsp black mustard seeds
-
1 tsp cumin seeds
- 12 curry leaves (if unavailable, omit)
-
1 tsp red chilli powder
-
½ tsp turmeric
-
1 tsp garam masala
-
fresh coriander, to garnish
-
poppadom, to serve
Directions
Rinse the rice, lentils, and split peas thoroughly, then soak them in water for 25–30 minutes.
- While soaking, prepare the other ingredients: dice the onion, crush the garlic, dice the tomatoes, grate the ginger.
- Heat a pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of ghee.
- Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, toasting them until fragrant.
- Stir in the red onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, a pinch of salt, and curry leaves. Sauté for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, then drain the soaked rice and lentils and add them to the pot.
- Stir in the chilli powder, turmeric, and garam masala, mixing well.
- Pour in fresh water until it covers the ingredients by 4–5 cm (1.5–2 inches).
Pressure cooker method
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once it starts whistling, lower the heat to maintain a gentle whistle.
Stovetop Method
Simmer on medium-low heat for 45–50 minutes, stirring every 5–10 minutes, until the rice and lentils have fully broken down.
- To serve, ladle the khichdi into bowls, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of ghee, and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve with a poppadom on the side.
