khichdi recipe with step by step photos – delicious one-pot comfort meal of rice and moong lentils. nutritious and light on the tummy.
in india, when someone is ill or recovering from illness, then dalia and moong dal khichdi are often served to him/her. even doctors recommend khichdi to patients. in ayurveda, moong is one lentil which is recommended for balancing all three doshas (kapha, pitta & vata). even plain mung dal khichdi sans any seasoning or spices is consumed as part of a detox diet.
in this moong dal khichdi, onions & tomatoes are added and thats how i make a simple basic khichdi at home on regular days. moong beans are healthy and easy to digest. so when your stomach is upset then it is best to have khichdi. it can also be served to small babies, since it is easy to digest.
how to make khichdi recipe
1. rinse and wash ½ cup moong lentils and ½ cup rice together very well. soak both of them together for 30 minutes in water. then drain and keep aside.
2. heat 1.5 tbsp ghee or oil in a pressure cooker. add ¾ tsp cumin/jeera.
4. when cumin splutters then add finely chopped onions (1 small to medium-sized onion). saute onions till translucent. no need to make onions light brown or golden brown.
5. once the onions become translucent, then add 1 medium sized chopped tomato, 1 small sized chopped green chilli and ½ inch chopped ginger (or grated ginger).
6. stir and add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
7. saute till the tomatoes soften.
8. add the drained rice and moong lentils to the pressure cooker. stir for a minute.
9. add 3.5 cups water – for a more thin consistency, add 4 to 4.5 cups water.
10. add salt as required. stir well.
11. close the lid tightly and pressure cook on a high flame for 6 to 7 whistles.
12. serve dal khichdi hot. you can top it with ghee while serving.
suggestions for making khichdi recipe
- unlike other rice-based dishes like pulao or biryani, in khichdi the rice grains are not so separate. you can increase or decrease the water quantity to vary the consistency of the moong dal khichdi. usually, we prefer a khichdi with a thick porridge consistency. but if you want a slightly thinner or soupy consistency, then increase the amount of water.
- i usually prepare khichdi in the pressure cooker. if you do not have a pressure cooker, then make the dal khichdi in the pot. you will have to add some more water when cooking in a pot.
- you can also add mix veggies to it. i have already shared masala khichdi where mixed vegetables are added. you can add vegetables like green peas, potatoes, carrots, beans, cauliflower, capsicum and brinjal.
- if making dal khichdi for small kids then you can skip or reduce the spices. also skip adding green chilli.
- ghee gives a better flavor in khichdi than the oil.
you can serve moong dal khichdi with curd or accompanying raita or papad. i also like to drizzle some lemon juice on it and prefer with some finely chopped vegetable salad. also don’t forget to top it with a spoon of ghee while serving.
more popular rice recipes
Khichdi
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup moong dal (split and husked mung lentils)
- ½ cup rice - you can add any rice, regular short or medium grained rice or even basmati
- 1 small to medium sized onion - finely chopped
- 1 medium sized tomato - chopped
- ½ inch ginger - finely chopped or grated
- 1 small green mirch - chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 3.5 cups water - for a more thin consistency, add 4 to 4.5 cups water
- 1.5 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- salt as required
INSTRUCTIONS
preparation
- rinse and wash moong lentils and rice together.
- soak both of them for 30 minutes in water.
making khichdi
- heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in pressure cooker. add cumin. when cumin splutters then add onions.
- saute onions till translucent. no need to make onions light brown or golden brown.
- once the onions become translucent, then add tomatoes, green chilli and ginger.
- stir and add turmeric powder and asafoetida. saute till the tomatoes softens.
- drain the rice and moong lentils and add them to the pressure cooker.
- stir for a minute. pour with water and season with salt.
cooking khichdi
- close the lid tightly and pressure cook on a high flame for 6-7 whistles.
- if it becomes too thick, then add some water and stir well.
- keep on sim or low flame to simmer till you get the right consistency.
- the consistency of khichdi can be adjusted as per your choice by adding less or more water. some people prefer thick and some thin consistency.
- once it is cooked then top it with ghee while serving. optional step.
- serve moong dal khichdi hot with curd (yogurt) and accompanying salad.
Soul food on a winter night accompanied by pappad, pickle and yogurt 👌
true that. thanks for the rating.
I have been using your recipes for years now. Thank you Dassana!
thanks a lot paras. glad to read your comment. welcome and happy cooking.
It was really tasty. Thanks. I only altered the dhal to rice ratio. I made it with 1/4 cup dhal to 1/2 cup rice.
I have tried this recipe twice so far. Thanks for sharing an easy and different way to make this simple yet delicious dal khichdi.
thanks urmila. there are many ways khichdi can be made. in fact, you can even add your favorite spices and vegetables in khichdi. welcome and happy cooking.
Very simple and easy. Just like dal
I prefer to add cinnamon, cloves, 1 black cardamom & bay leaf too to the list of spices to make it more aromatic, in the khichdi I cook. To make it healthier I add any other vegetable available like peas & and a potatoes cut in small cubes so that they cook well and get mashed. Thank You!
thanks for sharing the suggestion ketan. yes whole spices can be added. i have also shared a mix vegetable khichdi recipe which is similar to your method, where i add whole spices and mix vegetables.
Delicious easy recipe and the kids loved it too! I topped it with some fried garlic slices and added a squeeze of lemon juice. Thank you.
thanks SB. glad to know. liked the variations you made.