Khichdi or khichri is an Indian one pot lentil and rice dish that’s vegetarian, easy to digest and wholesome. Done right, it can be incredibly tasty and may become your favourite comfort food. This version can be made in a traditional pressure cooker or an Instant Pot.
The last few weeks have been difficult and here’s why. But I’ve been eager to get back to work, because it helps take my mind off things and gives me a chance to do something that I love doing.
When I was thinking about the first recipe I want to share when I get back to the blog after a long two month stint, I couldn’t think of anything else except khichdi. It’s the first thing I made when I got back to my own kitchen. It’s what we’ve eaten the last two days for three meals straight. And it’s what comforts my soul best.
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It also reminds me of how I would demand that my grandma make me khichdi every time we were having lunch at her place. Those were simpler days.
I also remember not liking khichdi sometimes. That’s because pretty much every house in India has their own version of khichdi or khichri. It’s one of those recipes that get passed down, and you learn to make it your own as you go. The way my grandma makes it is definitely a favourite. This version has whole spices, chunks of potatoes and other vegetables that become so soft they almost melt into the dish, and a secret tip where she roasts the lentils (dal) and rice before she adds the water. This recipe actually tastes good. It’s not sick food. It’s not weird and gloopy. It’s healthy, nutritious and comforting. And its a dish that you share with family. Its a meal that everyone will enjoy.
I use a combination of rice and two variety of lentils (dals) – moong dal and arhar/ toor dal. I love this combination the best because both the dals cook down to mix well with the rice. This version is more like a porridge, instead of grains which are separate. And thats the beauty of khichdi – because everything breaks down so well, its really easy to digest, but can keep you feeling full longer. I love adding diced carrots, beans, potatoes, cauliflower and green peas to make this a vegetarian khichdi and topping it with extra ghee. Unless you are vegan, don’t skip the ghee. It’ll melt all over and glisten and make every bite extra delicious. It also goes really well with cucumber raita.
If you live outside India, both these lentils are easily available at Indian stores and sometimes even at large supermarkets.
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The Khichdi Recipe that’s actually tasty!
Prep Time: 10 minutes- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Category: Mains
Cuisine: Indian
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Khichdi or khichri is an Indian one pot lentil and rice dish that’s vegetarian, easy to digest and wholesome. Done right, it can be incredibly tasty and may become your favourite comfort food. This version can be made in a traditional pressure cooker or an Instant Pot and I have instructions below for both.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup small grain Rice
- 1/4 cup Arhar Dal (Toor dal/ Split Pigeon Peas)
- 1/4 cup dhuli Moong Dal (skinless Petite Yellow Lentils)
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 6-8 whole Peppercorns
- 2 Bayleaves
- 4-5 Cloves
- 2 whole Cardamoms
- 1 teaspoon grated Ginger
- 1 Green Chilli or Serrano Chilli, split lengthwise
- 6-8 Cauliflower Florets
- 1 Potato, quartered
- 1 large Carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8-10 French Beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh Green Peas
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder or Paprika Powder
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt
- 5 cups Water
Instructions
Traditional Pressure Cooker:
- Wash the rice and both the dals (lentils) well, and soak them in enough water to cover them for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours. This helps them cook faster.
- Heat ghee in the pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, peppercorns, bayleaves, cloves, cardamoms, ginger and green chilli. Saute for two minutes on medium flame.
- Drain all the water from the rice and lentils and add them to the cooker. Dry roast them for 4-5 minutes, till you can smell a nutty aroma. Don’t worry if some of the rice and lentils stick to the bottom of the pan, but be careful not to burn them.
- Add all the veggies, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and water to the cooker and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Once all the pressure has released, open the pressure cooker and mix well. After mixing, the rice and dal should have broken down and should look slightly creamy. Check for salt, and serve hot with ghee, fried potatoes, tomato chutney or just yogurt.
Instant Pot Version:
- Wash the rice and both the dals (lentils) well, and soak them in enough water to cover them for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours. This helps them cook faster.
- Turn on the saute function and heat ghee in the pot. Add cumin seeds, peppercorns, bayleaves, cloves, cardamoms, ginger and green chilli. Saute for two minutes or till you can smell the spices.
- Drain all the water from the rice and lentils and add them to the cooker. Dry roast them for 5-6 minutes, till you can smell a nutty aroma. Don’t worry if some of the rice and lentils stick to the bottom of the pan, but be careful not to burn them.
- Add all the veggies, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and water to the cooker and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. I prefer using the manual pressure function. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, and then release pressure manually. Once all the pressure has released, open the pressure cooker and mix well. After mixing, the rice and dal should have broken down and should look slightly creamy. Check for salt, and serve hot with ghee, fried potatoes, tomato chutney or just yogurt.
Notes
- Here’s a pretty cool article about dals (lentils) along with their images to help you identify them easily
- The consistency of a khichdi is a personal preference. We like ours on the mushier side, but if you prefer it less mushy, reduce the water by a cup. You can also add more water if you like and cook it further if you want your version mushier.
- To reheat, just add a little water and heat it
What kind of rice do you recommend using?
Any short grain rice will work here. I use ‘sona masoori’ which is available at most grocery stores
I saw the comment giving tomato chutney ingredients but I’m just not adept enough to guess at the amounts! Hope you are able to give the complete recipe soon. 😊
It’s on the list – I’ll add that recipe soon!
Thanks for this lovely recipe. My Tamil hubbs loved it, and I got hella credit!
★★★★★
Wohoooo! so glad you and your hubs loved it.
Hi Richa,
I love your recipes and i have literally learnt how to cook with your recipes.
Regarding this post i had a few questions:
1) Can I use basmati rice as we buy only the one kind? Will this have a different result? Do i need to adjust my water ratio?
2) What is the tomato chutney recipe that you have used?
3) Is there any particular kind of potatoes or masala that you used to make the side of potatoes?
Again I wanted to tell you that i love your recipes! Keep em coming!
Hey there – if you are using basmati rice, you might have to cook it for an extra ten minutes to break down the long strands of the rice (unless you prefer it that way). You don’t need to add extra water if you use basmati rice. I don’t have proper recipes for the chutney and the potatoes yet, but here’s what I do – For the chutney – heat oil, add mustard seeds, minced ginger and garlic, green chillies and onions. Once onions are translucent, add at least double the amount of tomatoes or more with turmeric, little chilli powder (spice comes from green chillies) and coriander powder. Add a little water and let it simmer till tomatoes become super pasty, add jaggery (it should be sweet and spicy), salt, a few curry leaves and lots of coriander and finish. For the potatoes, I peeled and sliced them, rubbed mustard oil, turmeric, chilli powder, lots of coriander powder and raw mango powder and salt all over them. Add some oil to the pan and place them in a single layer. Just let them cook slowly, and turn once till they are cooked through. Takes about 15 minutes if you slice them 1/4 inch
This looks so comforting! I make a tangy version of this with Tamarind…Its called bisibela bhath in Karnataka…
I’m familiar with bisibele bath but in my opinion, this is a closer cousin of pongal. All of them are equally yummy!
Your khichri story brings to my mind my many travels to India prior to my retirement. Khichri was my first menu choice for my evening meal. As you say, it is a very comfortable food to eat. And, you are so correct in saying it has many different variations. My first experience was in Delhi and the dish had very distinctive flavours and not so spicy. My last memory of the dish in India was in Korba, Odisha state and it was extremely spicy and lacked flavour. Your recipe sounds wonderfully balanced and one to be cooked soon.
★★★★★
Thank you Ron!
Can this be made in a normal saucepan
Hey Ann, we usually cook this in a pressure cooker because it cuts down the cooking time. But yes, it can be made in a saucepan. Make sure you have a large pot because this recipe needs a lot of water. Just bring everything to a boil, after you’ve added the vegetables and water and then cover and cook on a medium low flame for 45 minutes-1 hour. You may need to add more water if necessary, and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Thank You!! Can’t wait to try this!! I was worried because I don’t have an instant pot but am excited to try on the stovetop. Thanks for posting!!
So glad! I hope you like it!
This recipe looks wonderful! I’ve made something similar that is just rice, lentils, and caramelized onion. Is there any way to make this recipe without a pressure cooker/instant pot?
Hey Nicole, we usually cook khichdi in a pressure cooker because it cuts down the cooking time. But yes, it can be made without one. Make sure you have a large pot because this recipe needs a lot of water. Just bring everything to a boil, after you’ve added the vegetables and water and then cover and cook on a medium low flame for 45 minutes-1 hour. You may need to add more water if necessary, and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.