Indian Moong Dal Khichdi
There are a million ways to make khichdi—an Indian dish that mixes lentils and rice with spices. Khichdi translates to “mixture,” and that’s exactly what this is. Here’s a recipe based on how I first had it, but experiment! Try adding other spices, such as fennel seeds, cumin seeds, garam masala, or curry powder.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil butter, olive oil, ghee, or coconut oil
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds whole, or ground
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup white basmati rice
- 1 cup moong dal (split yellow mung beans) or red lentils
- 6-12 cloves garlic peeled
- 1-2 tablespoons peeled, diced ginger root
- 1 lemon juiced
- salt to taste
- cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Sauté cooking oil, red onion, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, and cayenne pepper in a skillet, manual pressure cooker pan, or electric pressure cooker on sauté mode.
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Add rice, moong dal, garlic, and ginger root and stir to coat, and transfer to pressure cooker if necessary.
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Add 3 cups of water and close the pressure cooker. Cook under high pressure for about 5 minutes.
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Allow the mixture to cool, then open and stir it. Add juice from one lemon and salt to taste.
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Serve with cilantro or parsley.
Recipe Notes
The first time I had this, it was served with lots of fresh raw arugula, which added a nice flavor and texture.