Masala Khichdi Recipe Whiskaffair

on May 04, 2022, Updated May 28, 2024 You can also try Barley Khichdi, Vegetable Dalia Khichdi, or Oats Khichdi.

About Masala Khichdi

Masala Khichdi (pronounced khich-dee) is a healthy and hearty Indian dish perfect for lunch or dinner. It is a savory porridge made with rice lentils, veggies, and a few spices. This popular one-pot meal is the ultimate comfort food for many Indians and is made all across the country. Khichdi is made in different ways in Indian homes. While plain khichdi and vaghareli khichdi are my all-time favorites, this masala khichdi also tops the chart with its incredible flavors. Masala khichdi is best served with ghee, green chutney, yogurt, and papad (poppadum). It is also a great dish for a gluten-free diet. This recipe can be made in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. I share both methods in the post below. This recipe can be easily scaled. I used my 3-quart instant pot to make masala khichdi for 4 people. If you are doubling the recipe, then use a 6-quart instant pot. The cooking time will not change. My preferred choices are Indrayani rice and Jasmine rice. Broken basmati rice, Sona Masuri rice, or Ambemohar rice also works well. Lentils – I used split green gram lentils (green moong dal) to make this khichdi, but you can also use split and skinned green gram lentils (yellow moong dal), pigeon pea lentils (toor dal), Bengal gram (chana dal), or pink lentils (dhuli masoor dal). Whole Spices – You will need Indian spices like cloves (laung), cinnamon (dalchini), black peppercorns (kali mirch), and cumin seeds (jeera). Veggies – I added onions, green chilies, potatoes, green peas, and carrots to this recipe, but you can add vegetables of your choice, such as green French beans, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, corn, etc. Adjust the green chilies as per your taste. Spice Powders – This recipe uses basic spice powders, such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Others – You will also need ghee, ginger garlic paste, freshly squeezed lime juice, salt, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves). To make it vegan, replace ghee with canola, olive, or coconut oil. You can also add brown mustard seeds, curry leaves, and whole spices. Other spice powders, such as garam masala powder, cumin powder, and black pepper powder, can also be added. For a taste change, add ½ cup of chopped tomatoes (or ½ cup of pureed tomatoes) to this vegetable khichdi recipe. Soak the washed rice and lentils in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes. Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot. Once the ghee is hot, add the following spices and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

2 cloves 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick 4 whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Once the onions are browned, add 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.

½ cup peeled and cubed potatoes ½ cup green peas ½ cup peeled and cubed carrots

Now add the following spice powders and cook for a minute.

1 teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder 1 teaspoon salt

Press CANCEL, then PRESSURE COOK, and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot. Stir the khichdi with a large spoon. If the khichdi is thick, add some boiling water and adjust its consistency. The consistency of khichdi should be like porridge. Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish the ready masala khichdi with fresh cilantro and serve hot with a dollop of ghee, plain yogurt, papad, and green chutney. Add 4 cups of water and stir gently. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and stir well. Serve hot with ghee, green chutney, yogurt, and papad (poppadum). Adjust the green chilies according to your spice preference. If you want a more soupy consistency, add more water while cooking. Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra ghee while cooking for a richer flavor. You can also use vegetable stock instead of water for an even tastier khichdi. To make this recipe healthier, you can replace white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or couscous, but the cooking time and water quantity will change.