Khichdi without Pressure Cooker
How to make rice and moong dal khichdi in an open pan or kadhai, when you don't have a pressure cooker.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- Open pan or kadhai
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Rice (preferably use a short-grain rice such as sona masoori)
- 3/4 cup Yellow moong dal
- 5 cups Water (plus 3 cups for soaking)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp Ghee (plus more for topping, if you wish)
Spices
- 10 Black peppercorns
- 4 Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
Instructions
- Wash the moong dal and rice together in several changes of water till the water runs clear.
- Soak the washed rice and dal in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadhai or pan.
- When the ghee is hot, set heat to low and add to it a teaspoon of cumin seeds.
- As soon as the cumin seeds crackle [this takes just a couple of seconds], add the whole garam masala: cloves, cinnamon stick and peppercorns.
- Tip into the pan the washed rice and dal.
- Cook for a minute, then add turmeric, salt and 5 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Set heat to low, cover the pan and let it simmer.
- Check the pan after 15 minutes to stir and add more water if you want the dish soupier.
- Continue to cook for about 25 minutes, or till the rice and dal have softened and come together.
- Let the pan stand covered for another five minutes.
- Khichdi is ready. Serve piping hot.
Notes
Khichdi is customarily served with papad (crisp flatbread), chokha (boiled mashed vegetables, usually potato) and achaar (pickle, usually chili or mango).
These are the most popular accompaniments that add a burst of flavor to this otherwise plain food. A bowl of homemade yogurt and some bhujiya (chopped vegetables fried to a crisp, such as brinjal or plantain) go very well with khichdi too.