What could be more wholesome and comforting than a big bowl of masala khichdi. A full meal on it's own and super easy to make! If you are looking for something hearty and warm, make this dish immediately.
Khichdi is a common delicacy to eat during Makar Sankranti. It’s a comfort food as it is quick to prepare and light on stomach.
Sankranti also known as Pongal, is the ‘harvest festival’, falls on the 14th of January each year. This bazar marks the beginning of spring season and is celebrated with lots of pomp and fervour. Making Khichdi is just a part of the celebration.
Khichdi is traditionally made with rice and lentils, tempered with Indian spices. It’s a nutritious meal for both kids and adults, and mostly considered as a sick food.
Masala khichdi is a delicious take on the famous traditional Indian khichdi. It's a fulfilling meal where rice and lentils are cooked with vegetables and fragrant spices. Not only it’s healthy, it’s a soul satisfying meal with versions that are so different depending on the regional influences.
Unlike other traditional simple khichdi recipe you’ve seen, this recipe is made with lots of veggies and flavourful spices. It’s a satisfying dish, perfect for lunch or dinner.
Vegetable masala khichdi can be cooked in one pan but I like to cook the dish in two. I pressure cooked rice and lentils for 2-3 whistles, and cooked vegetables in a separate pan. This also retained the texture of rice and lentils and saved lot of my time.
It’s an open end recipe and it’s variations are endless. I added moong lentils you can use any lentil of your choice. You can add veggies of your choice and add brightness to your dish. I added loads of seasonal vegetables like; potatoes, onions, fresh green peas, capsicum, cauliflower and carrots, and, tempered with fragrant whole spices - cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds and pinch of asafoetida, along with some ginger, garlic, green chilis.
Top it with ghee and accompany these delicious dish with yoghurt, pickle or papad. You can also make this dish without onion and garlic on the eve on Sankranti. And, if you want to make this dish vegan, than substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil.
Do try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you?
Masala Khichdi
Yield: 4-6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Author:
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice,
1/2 cup moong lentils
2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 inch ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp salt or as per required
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
3/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 garam masala
1 carrot, chopped
1 potato, chopped
1 capsicum or bell pepper, desseeded, chopped
1/2 cauliflower florets, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
5 cups water
handful of coriander leaves
Directions
1. Wash rice and moong lentils together. Allow them to soak for atleast 15 minutes.
2. Drain the excess water and transfer them into the pressure cooker. Add some salt, turmeric powder, bay leaf and 5 cups of water and pressure cook it for 2 whistles on medium flame. When done, keep it aside.
3. Meanwhile, chop all the veggies; potatoes, onions, tomatoes, capsicum, cauliflower, carrots and keep it aside.
4. Heat a pan over a medium flame, add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. When the seeds starts spluttering, add pinch of asafoetida.
5. Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, onion and some salt. Sauté everything together and let them turn golden in colour on medium heat for at least 3 minutes.
6. Next add chopped tomatoes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes starts to soften. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix it well. Let the mixture cook till the oil separates.
7. Add all the chopped veggies; potato, fresh peas, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower in the pan and give it nice mix. Cover with a lid and lower the heat from medium to low and cook for 4 minutes.
8. Remove the lid and cook the mixture for next 5 minutes, on a medium flame. Stir it occasionally.
9. Add add cooked rice and lentils in the pan and toss it with the vegetables mixture and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame.
10. Now, add some garam masala at the end and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
and turn off the flame.
11. Now, transfer the Masala Khichdi to a serving bowl and and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.
12. Serve it with yogurt, pickle or papad and enjoy!
Notes
1. Soak rice and lentils for atleast 15 minutes .
2. You can use any type of lentils, but I prefer using moong lentils as it taste the best and it’s light on stomach.
3. To make this dish vegan, substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil.
4. You can add your favorite veggies of your choice.
5. You can add more water later to adjust the consistency of the khichdi.
6. You can cook this dish in a instapot or a pressure cooker.
7. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.
7. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.