Indias Favourite
The food of the gods, kings, and uscommon folk—khichdi. No one can seem to resist the charm of one of India’s most ancient concoctions. This superfood is one of those rare dishes that effortlessly crosses the boundary between what’s considered ‘regular’ and ‘exquisite’: it can be a comforting yet effortless meal after a tiring day or a grand preparation made for dinner guests.
At its core, it is a one-pot meal comprising grain, lentil, fat, flavoursome spices, and vegetables. Rice is the most popular grain for khichdi, but one can use millet, broken wheat, and barley as well. The lentils can include dals like moong (green gram), masoor (red lentil), toor (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), or even whole pulses. The pairing of grains with lentils or pulses provides us with all the essential amino acids (protein builders) required byour bodies. Usually, a good quality fat like cow’s ghee (clarified butter) is used for tempering.
The combination of spices and vegetables is what makes each khichdi different from the other. It is one of those dishes where you can exercise endless creativity. No wonder there are so many variations of it. So let’s dive deep into some of these delicacies.
Bajra khichdi:
A bowl of creamy
and heartfelt
goodness straight
from the royal
kitchens of Rajasthan.
This khichdi uses bajra or
pearl millet as its base. This millet is a whole grain, high in fibre and low on the glycaemic index. It is also rich in calcium. This khichdi is especially made in winter as it warms the body. A cow’s ghee based tempering of jeera (cumin) and hing (asafoetida) helps to make it easy to digest. There are many variations of this khichdi, but mine is with the addition of moong dal and vegetables. This makes for a deliciously wholesome meal.
Khichuri:
This Bengali khichdi is a delicious one-pot meal of rice,cmoong lentils, and mixed vegetables. It is made from a short-grained variety of rice
grown in West Bengal called ‘bhagwan bhog.’ Khichuri is always made during Durga puja festival. It is offered as ‘bhog’ or an offering to Goddess Durga, along with some other Bengali delicacies. It is a satvik, vegan, and no-onion, no-garlic recipe. The khichuri made fragrant by tempering whole masalas
Vegetable masala khichdi:
From the colourful land of Gujarat comes this equally vibrant khichdi.
Prepared with rice and moong dal, it is accompanied by a plethora of seasonal vegetables. The addition of French beans, carrots, bottle gourd, pumpkin, tomatoes, cauliflower, and capsicum makes for a nutritious and delicious treat. A tempering of spices, chillies, and lasun (garlic) in cow’s ghee adds a depth of flavour to this one-pot meal. Not only is it easy to make but is also well balanced with carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. I like to accompany this with a probiotic-rich spicy pickle and crunchy roasted papad.
Palak Khirchdi
It would not be winter without the beautifully lush green palak (spinach)
that comes with this season. Fresh, crisp, and packed with nutrients, this is the right season to indulge in it. Incor porating it in a khichdi will elevate the dish significantly. Give it a tempering of antioxidant-rich garlic and enjoy this or spices like tej patta (bay leaves), is winter delight!
(cinnamon), dalchini
Here is another khichdi that is unique in cardamom). laung (cloves), and elaichi (green flavour. This too is a winter special as it uses tender pigeon peas as its base (only available in the winter).
Pongal:
If, like me, you too have had the fortunevc off dining at a Tamil home, then you must be aware of the delicious pongal. There are many types ofpongal, all made from the common base of rice and split moong dal. This also includes a sweet variety that is served as ‘prasad’ or an offering in temples. My favourite is the savoury kind, doused in ghee, ginger, and pepper pods. This is a true immune-boosting combination that invigorates the mind and body.
Urad dal khichdi
Masoor khichdi: This Hyderabadi khichdi is a lip-smacking rice dish made with basmati rice, masoor dal (red-lentil), and aromatic spices. If you notice, in this khichdi, masoor dal is used as a base, giving it a unique flavour. This khichdi can be prepared a little mushy, semi-solid, or with firmer grain, whichever way you like, but what is indispensable is the tangy chutney that accompanies this meal. The ‘til ka khatta’ is a tamarind based chutney that adds the zing found in this khichdi.
A staple in central and Western UP, urad dal or split black gram khichdi is relished during the winters for its flavour and its deliciously grainy texture. Made from split black gram and kala namak variety of rice it’s simple to cook and extremely healthy to eat. The taste is further enhanced by a tempering of ghee, and accompaniments like fried onions, popadums, green chutney and boondi raita. North Indian families often rustle this delicacy up during lazy Sunday afternoons, when everybody wants to have a scrumptious lunch without putting in much effort.
Recipe
Toor Dana Khichdi
Ingredients
100 gm rice (unpolished)
200 gm toor dana (tender pigeon peas)
200 gm green lasun (garlic)
½ tsp dalchini (cinnamon) and laung (clove) powder
½ cup chopped dhaniya (coriander)
½ lemon juice
¼ tsp jeera (cumin) seed
400 ml water
Salt to taste
Method
1. Soak the rice for an hour.
2. Take ghee in a pan and heat it.
3. Add cumin seeds.
4. As the seeds splutter, add green garlic and
cook for two seconds.
5. Then add cinnamon and clove powder,
toor dana, and allow it to cook for 5–7
minutes.
6. Add the soaked rice, water, and salt, and
cook till it becomes soft.
7. Garnish it with chopped coriander and
lemon juice.
8. Serve hot.
Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on healthy food habits.
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