Try our delicious, flavourful masala khichdi recipe that combines rice, lentils, and aromatic spices. Masala Khichdi is a wholesome, vegetarian Indian meal. Masala khichdi is a very popular dish across India and Pakistan. Almost every state in India it has its own name for Khichdi, and has it as part of regular meals. Bengalis call it khichuri. It is served Bhog(Prasad). In Odisha its made with Ginger and flavored with asafoetida and called adahengu khichdi (ADArak-HEENGu Khichdi, that is ginger-asafoetida khichdi) . This particular Khichdi is prepared at the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri as part of an old tradition. Khichadi is known as (or is similar to) Pongal in South India; primarily Tamil Nadu. In Bihar its called Khichdi and its customary to eat it every Saturday.
Try our other recipes: Khichdi, Quinoa Khichadi.
Ingredients
- Yellow lentils (Moong Dal) – 1/4th cup
- Rice – 3/4th cup (you can use any basmati rice or fine rice).
- Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon or as required
- Ginger paste – 1 tablespoon
- Tomato – 3/4
- Cauliflower florets – 6
- Peas – 1/2 cup
- Bay leaf – 1
- Green Cardamom – 4
- Salt to taste
- Water – 5 cups
1st Tempering (Tadka)
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Green chilies – 5 (chopped)
- Onion – 3 (chopped)
- Peas – 1/2 cup
- Garlic – 1/2 tablespoon (crushed)
- Red chili powder – 2 teaspoon or as per your taste
- Sugar – 1/4th teaspoon
- Ghee (clarified butter) – 4 tablespoons
2nd Tempering
- Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tablespoon
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
- Kashmiri Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Garnish
- Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
Instructions
Preparation of Ingredients:
- To begin, rinse the rice and moong dal thoroughly until the water runs clear. Drain the water into a bowl (Save this water to use for your plant). Subsequently, soak the rice for 30 minutes to ensure optimal texture.
- Remove hard stem and leaves from base of the cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into medium florets. Heat ghee in a pan, add cauliflower florets sauté 4 minutes on high heat (until light brown). Remove the cauliflower from the pan and set aside.
Cooking the Khichdi:
- In a pressure cooker, combine the soaked rice and moong dal with tomatoes, ginger paste, turmeric powder, green cardamom, bay leaves, salt, and water. Pressure cook on high flame for 6-7 whistles. Afterward, allow it to rest for 10 minutes to release pressure.
- Once the pressure has been released, open the cooker and add the cauliflower florets and peas. Mix well, then pressure cook for an additional whistle. Again, let it rest for 10 minutes after turning off the flame.
Tempering and Final Assembly:
- In a separate pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, proceed to add chopped onions and fry until browned.
- Following that, add garlic, chili powder, and water, sautéing until fragrant. Next, incorporate peas into the mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Subsequently, add the cooked khichdi and mix well. Adjust the consistency with water if needed. Finally, turn off the flame and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves before serving.
- In a separate pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds and whole red chili and let them splutter. Turn off the flame. Add red chili powder and mix it well. Pour the prepared tempering on khichdi.
- Serve the masala khichdi hot with ghee, pickle, or chutney.
- Enjoy the wholesome and flavourful masala khichdi as a satisfying meal!
Notes:
Here are some additional tips for making masala khichdi:
- Use good quality basmati rice for the best results.
- Soaking the rice and lentils helps to shorten the cooking time and makes the khichdi more digestible.
- Don’t overcook the khichdi, or it will become mushy.
- Adjust the amount of spices to your liking.
- Serve the khichdi hot with ghee, pickle, or chutney.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!