Mixed Vegetable Khichdi

Khichdi is a comfort food for many in India. It is made by combining rice with lentils ( mostly moong dal with/without skin) and cooking them until soft. A simple tempering with ghee and some basic spices completes the dish. This humble dish is delicious and soul-satisfying.

Since moong dal is one of the lightest lentils and is very easy to digest, khichdi made with moong dal is recommended in the diet of patients, too, so that they can be fed something warm, nutritious, sumptuous, and yet not heavy and difficult to digest.

While in some homes, khichdi is made only when someone gets sick; it is quite the opposite in my home. Khichdi is loved by all in my home and I often make it for dinner because it is filling yet light. A spoonful of ghee on Khichdi not only enhances the taste but also helps you get a good night’s sleep. We sometimes pair khichdi with pickle, papad and yoghurt.

I make Khuchdi in many ways. One simple recipe is just to pressure-cook rice and lentils and temper them in the end. The other way is to make it more nutrient-dense by adding vegetables. This also involves more steps and takes a bit more time. I make the former with moong dal (green gram) and the latter with masoor dal ( red lentils). I recently shared the recipe for Quinoa Pongal, a type of Khichdi. Though pongal is traditionally made with rice, in my recipe, as the name says, I have replaced rice with quinoa. You can check out the recipe here.

Now, let’s start with today’s recipe, i.e. Mixed Vegetable Khichdi.

Equipment Needed:

• Pressure Cooker: https://amzn.to/46Ff7Vl
• Big Pan: https://amzn.to/46LzYGH
• Knives: https://amzn.to/3Lg64Bj
• Chopping Board: https://amzn.to/3K0dh8L

Ingredients Needed to make Mixed Vegetable Khichdi:

• 1½ Cups Rice
• 1 Cup Masur Dal (Red Lentils)
• Water; amount mentioned in the recipe
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt; to taste
• 4 tbsp Peanuts and/or Cashews
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Small Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Green Chillies; slit
• 1 Medium-Sized Onion; chopped
• 8-10 Fresh Curry Leaves
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Carrot; Cut into cubes
• 7-9 French Beans; cut into pieces
• 1 Medium-Sized Potato
• 1 Small Capsicum
• ½ Cup Green Peas
• 4-5 Small Florets of Cauliflower
• 2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
• 1 Medium-Sized Tomato; chopped/thinly sliced

Method to make Mixed Vegetable Khichdi:

• Combine red lentils and rice. Wash and let them soak for about 30 minutes.
  
  
  
• Add about 6 cups of water, salt and ¼ tsp turmeric powder and pressure cook them until soft.
  
  
  
• In a pan, heat ghee. Fry peanuts on medium heat. Once crispy, take them out. Keep them aside.
  
  
  
• In the same pan, with the rest of the ghee, fry cumin seeds. Add cinnamon stick, bay leaf, green chillies, curry leaves and chopped onion. Fry on medium heat till the onions turn translucent.
  
  
  
• Add ginger-garlic paste, followed by chopped carrots. Cook for about 30 seconds.
  
  
  
• Add potatoes, salt and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Mix, cover and cook for another minute or two.
  
  
  
• Add cauliflower, capsicum and peas. Mix. Cover and cook on medium heat.
  
  
  
• Add chopped coriander leaves.
  
  
  
• Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till also the vegetables become tender.
  
  
  
• Now, move on to the cooked dal and rice. If the cooked dal and rice look too thick ( i.e. all the water is absorbed), add about 2 cups of water and mix.
  
  
  
• Add this to the cooked vegetables.
  
  
  
• Mix. Taste and adjust the salt. Garnish with fried peanuts and fresh coriander leaves.
  
  
  
• Serve hot with a spoonful of ghee.
  
  

Here is the recipe in printable format:

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Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

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