Mixed Lentils & Vegetables Khichdi
A vegetarian, one-pot, gluten free dish with lentils, rice and vegetables, cooked in ghee, turmeric and red chili powder makes an amazingly flavorful comfort meal!
Khichdi, Khichadi or Kitchari is a nourishing porridge-like dish cooked with lentils and rice. Referred to as the Indian “comfort food”, it is often used for babies and the elderly, a healthy meal that is easy to chew, digest and SO good for the body!
I grew up eating khichdi for a LOT of dinner meals. My mum cooked this soft, mushy and lightly spiced dish that was so comforting and light that it always made a perfect dinner. She had many variations of this dish, so when someone asks me about khichdi, there are so many different recipes that come to my mind.
Although I want to share some of my mum’s khichdi recipes, I want to share this one that I started making years ago. When the boys were little and I was working crazy hours, picking them from day care and then trying to figure out our dinners, this dish has come to rescue so many times! It helped me serve healthy, wholesome and guilt-free dinners that we all enjoyed.
This khichdi recipe was developed over the years, adding and changing the combination of vegetables and spices so as to not overpower the dish. I now have a recipe that I love and is my signature dish! A recipe I was so proud to share with my mum, who absolutely loves it and has on a repeat list.
Recipe
Mixed Lentils & Vegetables Khichdi
Author: Archana Mundhe
Recipe type: Entree Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 6
Mixed Lentils & Vegetables Khichdi - Healthy, wholesome, one pot dish with lentils, rice and vegetables, cooked in ghee, turmeric and red chilli powder makes an amazing comfort food!
Ingredients
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ginger
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
¼ cup green beans, chopped
¼ cup frozen green peas
1 red potato, cubed
1 tomato, diced
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp mild red chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup white rice
1 cup mixed lentils(moong, masoor, toor and chana daal)
6 cup water
¼ cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Turn Instant Pot to Saute Mode. Once the ‘hot’ sign displays, add ghee, cumin seeds and ginger.
Cook for 30 seconds. Add all the vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, tomato, potato, cauliflower, cabbage and spinach). Mix well.
Add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
Add rice and mixed lentils. Add 6 cups of water. Give everything a quick stir and close IP lid with a pressure valve to sealing.
Press the rice button (12 mins) followed by NPR. Open IP, garnish with cilantro.
Serve hot with roasted papad and pickle.
Oats Khichdi Recipe
INGREDIENTS (240 ml cup used)
Moong dal – ¼ cup
Oats – ½ cup
Cumin – ½ teaspoon
Ginger – ½ teaspoon, grated or crushed
Water – 1 ¾ to 2 cups (regular rolled oats may need more)
Salt – as needed
Ghee- as needed
Turmeric – generous pinch
Asafoetida – a pinch (optional)
Seasonal vegetables – ½ to ¾ cup, chopped (use any seasonal vegetables available: carrots, beans, onion, capsicum, cauliflower etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash and soak moong dal in water and set aside. Wash and chop the vegetables into small cubes.
Add about one tablespoon of ghee to a pressure cooker. As the ghee becomes warm add cumin seeds to the ghee and when they start crackling, add ginger and keep stirring. After this, you can add asafoetida, though it is optional.
Add all the vegetables and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame. Drain the water from dal and add it to the cooker. Fry the mixture for about 2 to 3 minutes till the dal appears to be roasted.
Add oats, salt and sauté for about 2 minutes. Be careful so that none of the ingredients stick to the bottom of the cooker; reduce the flame if necessary and pour water. You can adjust the quantity of water to make it soft or slightly grainy as you want it to be. Put the lid of the pressure cooker and on a medium flame, pressure cook for one whistle.
If desired can add little more ghee. This khichdi can be enjoyed by adults as well. This is a good dish if you are looking for a low-calorie food item. You just need to avoid the ghee and use low fat oil instead.
Serve oats khichdi warm.
Nutritional value
Oats are rich in dietary fiber and aid in digestion and stool formation. One cup of dry oats contains 307 calories and is rich in manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, carotenoids, vitamin E and flavonoids.
Urad Dal Khichdi
INGREDIENTS (240 ml cup used)
Rice (white, short-grain or long grain) – 5 tablespoon
Urad dal – 5 tablespoon
Water – 1 ½ cups
Seasonal vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, spinach – 1 cup, cubed
A generous pinch of cumin seeds
Salt – to taste
Ghee – 2 teaspoon
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash rice and dal together and soak for about 4 hours. Drain and set aside.
Method 1
On a low flame cook the rice, dal, vegetables and salt in a pressure cooker with 1 and a half cup of water for 2 whistles.
When the pressure goes off; mash the rice, dal and vegetable mixture into a coarse mixture.
In a tempering pan, heat ghee, add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, pour it over the khichdi, mix well and serve.
Method 2 (for fussy kids)
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin and allow them to crackle.
Add the drained rice and dal. Sauté the rice and dal mixture in ghee for 1 to 2 minutes until the dal smells good then add the vegetables.
Add salt, one and a half cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
When the pressure goes off, mash coarsely and serve.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Ural dal is one of the richest sources of protein and vitamin B. It also contains iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Urad dal is a good source of dietary fiber and iron.
No comments:
Post a Comment