1,000 Indian Recipes (291 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

Special Grain and Lentil Dishes (
Khichadis
)

A
khichadi
is a soft-cooked rice and
dal
dish. One could compare it to a risotto—a risotto made with
basmati
rice and one that always has some form of beans, lentils, or peas. Although this generally holds true, Indian cuisine also has a few
khichadis
that are dry-cooked, and some that are made with other vegetables or grains, for example whole-wheat and tapioca.

Creamy Rice and Split Mung Beans with Cumin Seeds

Chilkae vaali Mung Dal ki Khichadi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This soft-cooked
khichadi
is our family favorite and my ultimate comfort food! It cooks quickly in a pressure cooker and is easy on the stomach. My mother always gave it to us with her homemade lemon pickle whenever we were under the weather, and we loved it. This is a tradition I've continued with my own family in America, and my daughters, Sumi and Supi, have also grown to love it. It's a gift from my mother that I've passed on.

Made with rice and split mung beans, this
khichadi
comes with a
tarka
(a sizzling flavor topping) of fragrant
ghee
and cumin seeds. Serve it with plain yogurt, and a lemon pickle such as
Sun-Cured Pickled Lime (or Lemon) Wedges
.

1 cup basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

¹⁄
₃cup dried green split mung beans (chilkae vaali mung dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5
¹⁄
₂to 6 cups water

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

³⁄
₄teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons melted ghee or olive oil

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons cumin seeds

1.
Place the rice and the dal in a pressure cooker along with 5
¹⁄
₂cups water, the cardamom pods, peppercorns, cinnamon, and salt. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and stir the rice. The khichadi should be soft and creamy; if not, then add more water, if needed, cover and boil, stirring a few times, until it is soft and creamy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

2.
Heat the ghee (or oil) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the tarka to the khichadi and mix lightly, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Serve.

Variation:
To cook in a pan, place everything except the ghee and cumin seeds in the pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the dal and rice are soft and creamy, adding another cup of water if the khichadi is dry, about 45 minutes. Top with the tarka and serve.

Pilaf-Style Rice and Yellow Mung Beans with Ginger

Sookhi Dhulli Mung ki Khichadi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Made in a pressure cooker like most other
khichadis
, this is my mother-in-law's special recipe. A little drier than other
khichadis
, this one is made with skinless yellow mung
dal
and a topping of sizzling fresh ginger, black pepper, and cardamom seeds, and presents more like a
pullao
(pilaf), in which every grain of rice is separate.

²⁄
₃cup basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

¹⁄
₂cup dried yellow mung beans (dhulli mung dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5 to 5
¹⁄
₂cups water

3 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

³⁄
₄teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 black cardamom pod, seeds only, coarsely ground

1.
Place the rice and dal in a pressure cooker along with 5 cups water, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and salt. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and stir the rice and dal. If the rice and dal are not soft, add the remaining
¹⁄
₂cup water and cook over low heat another 5 to 7 minutes. (The rice grains should be separate; don't stir to make it creamy.) Transfer to a serving dish.

2.
Heat the ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger, black pepper, and cardamom seeds and stir a few seconds, then add to the khichadi and mix lightly, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Serve.

Variation:
With the same cooking time, this recipe can also be made by replacing the yellow mung beans with any one or a mixture of red lentils (dhulli masoor dal), split pigeon peas (toor dal), and yellow split chickpeas (channa dal).

Creamy Rice and Mixed Vegetables with Spinach Ribbons

Sabzi aur Palak ki Khichadi

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a great dish for kids (and adults) to grow on. It's got lots of nutrients—proteins and carbohydrates from the rice and
dal
, vitamins from the vegetables, and iron from the spinach, but it's all suitably disguised, mixed together in this creamy rice. And that's not all: The sizzling flavoring that tops it makes the
khichadi
really delicious.

This dish, cooked in a pressure cooker, goes well with
Simple Salt and Pepper Raita
and a fresh green chutney such as
Mint Chutney with Pomegranate Seeds
.