Dal Khichdi - A Rice and Dal Recipe

Dal Khichdi is a very popular Indian dish whose cooking nuances vary widely depending on where you are. Here, rice and dals are cooked together, often with spices added to the mix, as I have done in this recipe. While moong dal is the oft used dal, masoor dal is also used in several preparations. In Bengal, this Khichdi is made during festivals and the flavors are just unbelievable. And yeah, this is a very nutritious and easily digestible dish.

I have used paanch foran which gives an immense flavor, while the potatoes are such a great addition. The bay leaf, red chillies and garam masala powder, as well as the sugar, give the richness that I believe this dish deserves. I've had this khichdi in other places and it's really just a simple concoction, but this recipe closes down on the Bengali preparation of this dish which I think is spot on. The spices add a great deal of flavor to the rice and dal mix. The final dish is totally fantastic and worth every thing we add into it.

So, here's the recipe for this flavorful Khichdi.

1, Wash the dal and rice together and drain the water.

2. Cut onion and tomato finely.

3. Cut the potato into 1 inch cubes.

4. Cut the green chillies longitudinally.

1, Heat oil in a pressure cooker and on a slow to medium flame, add bay leaf, paanch foran and red chillies. When they splutter, add onions to it, and stir fry for a couple minutes.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Then, add tomatoes and green chillies, and let it cook for a minute or two, then add the potatoes. Fry for a couple of minutes

3. Add 2 tbsp of water, then add turmeric, chilli and garam masala powder to it, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Then, add the rice and dals, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Now, add 5 cups of water, then, salt, sugar and sabzi masala to it.

5. Close the lid of the cooker and cook for 2 to 3 minutes after the pressure comes. Then, switch off the flame

6. When the cooker cools, check the khichdi for it's consistency. Add and adjust water accordingly - it should be of a pouring consistency.

7. Serve the khicidi with pure ghee spread over it, and garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Your delicious Dal Khichdi is ready.

This is a simple dish to cook, but I can tell you, it's not always easy to get the right flavor for it. This is a wonderful dish which I've always loved, and while I used to look forward to having this cooked, now that I cook this myself, it's great. You can serve this with baigan bhaja (eggplant fry), aloo bhaja (potato finger chips), patal or parwal bhaja (fried pointed gourd), and/or with any dry vegetable, chutney, aachar (pickle) and fried papad.

So try this out, and enjoy.