Ultimate Kichadi Recipes

BENGALI KHICHDI RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash the rice repeatedly to remove the dirt and starch
• Spread the rice on a plate and allow to dry completely
• In a wok or kadai, dry roast the dal for 4-5 minutes until a beautiful aroma fills the kitchen and the dal changes color
• Separate the dal in a bowl
• Wash the dal in cold water only once
• In a wok, heat oil and fry the potatoes with a pinch of turmeric until the potato pieces of the bengali khichdi turn golden in color
• Separate the potato and proceed to fry the cauliflower florets in the same way

KHICHDI

Steps:

• Soak the lentils and rice together in water in a medium bowl for 30 minutes; drain and rinse well.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir until they just start to fizzle, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the turmeric, tomato, jalapeno and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the tomato softens, about 1 minute. Add the lentils, rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender and the lentils have broken down completely, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and season with salt. Stir in the cilantro.

INSTANT POT® KHICHDI

Steps:

• Rinse rice and mung beans. Cover with water and soak for 15 minutes. Rinse split yellow dal and add to the rice and mung beans to soak for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Saute cumin and mustard seeds in 2 tablespoons ghee until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and ginger and cook until shallot is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the drained rice and legumes; stir to combine. Turn off Saute function.
• Stir in goda masala, turmeric, pepper, and salt. Add water; stir well. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure and set timer for 18 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Manually release any remaining pressure, 5 to 10 minutes more. Stir khichdi and divide between 6 bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon of remaining ghee.

ULTIMATE KICHADI

Steps:

• Soak rice and lentils together in hot water for about a half hour.
• Drain the water as much as possible.
• Put rice and lentils into a pressure cooker, add 7 1/2 cups of clean water, turmeric, garam masala, and salt to make the water nice and briny. However salty you want your Kichadi to be, your water should taste a little brinier than that.
• Let the pressure cooker whistle 2 or 3 times, then open up to see the consistency of the Kichadi. It should be soft and a little loose. I find pressure cookers to be very inconsistent in how they cook from one model to the next, so yours may require more or less whistles.
• In a sauteé pan, put oil and bring up to heat.
• Add your serrano chillies that have been deseeded. If you do not deseed them, the dish will be overwhelmingly hot.
• Add the asofetida. Sauteé the chillies until they get quite brown, but not burned.
• Add your chopped Cilantro, and sauteé until the leaves are wilted.
• Add in Coriander powder and chilli powder. At this point you may need to add a little more oil to the pan due to all the powder. Cook for no more than 30 seconds so that the powder doesn't burn.
• Empty the contents of your sauteé pan into your Kichadi and stir it inches There will be plenty of powder stuck to the sauteé pan. So as not to lose these spices, take a little Ghee and melt it in the pan. Swish it around to get all the spices, and pour into your Kichadi.
• Serve Kichadi with a dollop of ghee and a generous squirt of lime to finish it off.
• Cry because it's so damn good. The end.

INSTANT POT KHICHDI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the dal and rice. Add water until covered.
• Set the electric pressure cooker to sauté and melt 2 tablespoons ghee. Add the onion, ginger, cumin, coriander and turmeric to the pressure cooker and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt.
• Drain the dal mixture and add it to the pressure cooker. Add 4 cups water, cover, and set the electric pressure cooker for 15 minutes on low pressure. It will take a couple of minutes for it to come to pressure.
• When the time is up, immediately release the pressure. Carefully open the lid and season to taste with salt.
• Divide among bowls. Drizzle with ghee, then top with yogurt and cilantro to serve.