This recipe and text comes to us courtesy of Anjali Mehta of Amma's Cooking Company.
The beauty of Indian cuisine is the diversity. Depending on what state you’re in, you get to experience entirely new flavors and dishes. But if there’s one savory meal we can share as a country, it’s Khichadi, a rice porridge. Affluent or not, Khichadi is something we all eat and enjoy! The ingredients vary state to the state, but the foundation is the same. Traditional Khichadi is made with rice, a lentil, salt, turmeric, and a fat.
This version of Masala Khichadi (an upgraded traditional Khichadi) is from the western state of Gujarat. There are many ways to enjoy and eat Khichadi, but for this specific style, I recommend eating with plain yogurt and papad.
Serves 2
Ingredients
½ cup Basmati rice
½ cup Yellow split moong daal
Handful of green beans, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 potato (medium sized), diced
1 onion, diced
Pinch of asafoetida (optional)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3-4 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
4 tablespoons ghee for cooking
Water
Directions:
Wash rice and lentils together, at least three times. In a big pot, heat up ghee and sauté onions.
Once onions are translucent, sauté bay leaves for 1 minute. Add in the vegetables and asafoetida (if using) and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Drain water from the rice and lentils and add to the vegetables. “Dry” roast for about 30 seconds.
Add salt, turmeric, and enough water to cover all ingredients in the pot, about 2 cups.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, till everything is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to add more water as everything cooks. Mix in Garam Masala.
Pro tips:
Don’t skimp out on ghee...this ingredient is necessary to make your Masala Khichadi even more delicious...plus it’s a good fat to consume.
It’s necessary to wash your rice and daal a few times to get rid of any arsenic or other toxins. Plus it also reduces the gas your body will create from the daal.
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