Simple Desi Khichdi

Simple Desi Khichdi (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

Ghee or clarified butter- 6 spoons

Whole spices:

Fennel seeds- 1 spoon

Black cardamom-1

cinnamon stick -1

Bay leaf- 1 Nos

Black Pepper corns- 1/2 spoon

Dried red chillies- 4 or 5

Cumin seeds- 2 spoons

Mustard seeds - 1 spoon

Ground spices:

Coriander powder- 2 spoons

Turmeric powder - 1 spoon

Hing- 1/2 spoon

Vegetables:

Tomatoes- 4 Nos (cut into 1 inch chunks)

Potatoes- 2 Nos (Diced into medium size cubes)

Carrots- 3 Nos (Diced into 1 inch chunks)

Onions- 2 Nos (Finely Sliced)

Garlic cloves- 6 or 7 (finely chopped)

Ginger- 3 spoons (finely chopped)

Coriander leaves- 3/4 cup (finely chopped)

Green chilies- 4 Nos(Slit into half)

Curry leaves- 10-15

Rice and Lentils:

Rice- 2 cups (washed and cleaned)

Moong dal or Petite yellow lentils - 1 cup (washed and cleaned)

Salt- to your taste.

Recipe:

Please make sure that all your ingredients are gathered, prepared and ready to cook as per the requirement in the Ingredients section

I have divided the recipe into 4 simple steps

Step 1 : Flavoring the Ghee:

Add 4 spoons of ghee to container for preparation and gently heat it.

While the ghee is heating add the whole spices Fennel seeds, Black cardamom, cinnamon stick, Bay leaf and Black Pepper corns and fry the spices until ghee starts to smell of the spices.

Step 2 : Cooking the vegetables

Once the ghee is flavored add garlic, ginger, green chilies and onions and cook them until translucent.

Then add the carrots and potatoes and cook them for 5 min with the lid on.

Then add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and coriander powder and cook for another 5 min.

Stir occasionally.

Step 3 : Cooking the rice and lentils:

once the vegetables are at least half cooked, add the rice and the moong dal to them and stir occasionally until the rice and lentils are toasted a little.

Then add a minimum of 15 cups of water and start cooking the vegetables, rice and the lentils on a low heat for an hour.

halfway through, check for the salt, add salt to your taste and 3/4th the coriander.

Add some more water

if needed for the consistency of your choice.

Step 4: Tempering the khichdi:

Once the Khichdi is fully cooked, in a small frying pan on a medium heat, add the remaining ghee and to it add the mustard seeds, Cumin,  hing, dried red chilies and the curry leaves.

Once the tempering is cooked and it gently to the cooked Khichdi.

This is it, Your khichdi is ready to be served.

PS: Khichdi is enjoyed best with a pickle and a papad.