What is Khichdi?
Khichdi is a popular Indian one-pot meal. It is a wholesome, vegetarian meal of lentils and rice. There are many types of khichdi recipes followed across India. In certain regions, it has a porridge-like consistency; in others, it is more like a pulao. Masala Khichdi is one of the many traditional dal khichdi recipe versions. It has lentils, rice, and colourful vegetables. The USP of the masala khichdi is the spicy, sizzling, bold red tadka. It is poured over the piping hot khichdi before serving. I love khichdi so much that I have included some recipes in my debut cookbook. More Reasons To LOVE Masala Khichdi
instant pot friendly gluten and nut-free easy to cook and digest wholesome and vegetarian cooking time is under 30 minutes a complete, nourishing one-bowl meal
Ingredients Required
Rice: Short to medium grain with starch is perfect. I never recommend long-grain rice like basmati for making any khichdi. Lentil: I mix pink lentil (masoor dal) and mung bean (yellow moong dal). You can add Bengal gram (chana dal) or Pigeon Peas (toor dal) as well. Vegetables: Onion, Tomato, Carrot, French Beans, Green Peas, and Potato are my favourite vegetables in a masala khichdi. You can add pumpkin, zucchini, spinach, cauliflower, or any other easy-to-cook vegetables. Spices: Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Asafoetida (hing), Cumin Seeds, and Salt. Cooking Oil: A khichdi tastes best when cooked in ghee (clarified butter). Substitute it with unsalted butter or vegetable oil. Or you can use refined vegetable oil for cooking and ghee for tadka (tempering). Other Ingredients: Ginger and Garlic Paste, Dried Red Chili, Garlic Cloves, Water.
Watch Masala Khichdi Video
Serving Suggestion
As mentioned above, masala khichdi is a wholesome, satisfying one-pot meal. It does not require side dishes. However, here are a few of my favourite Indian condiments I enjoy with my bowl of khichdi – kachumber salad, mango pickle, fried papad, and plain curd.
My Tried & True Tips
I love vegetables in my masala khichdi: green beans, carrots, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini, capsicum, potato, and spinach. You can also add broccoli, yellow pumpkin, or green leafy vegetables. The consistency of a khichdi can be like pulao or like porridge. Hence, adjust the amount of water accordingly. I am sharing a porridge-style khichdi recipe. It is a pressure cooker-friendly dish. You can use an instant pot, multi-pot, electric pressure cooker, or a traditional stovetop for cooking this khichdi. The tadka of masala khichdi is medium spicy. Reduce the number of chillies according to your taste preference.
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