Urad dal khichdi is gluten free and (easily made)vegan dish. You can make this khichdi in pressure cooker, on stove top or in Instant pot.
In Indian cuisine, Khichdi is a staple and regarded a complete meal. It is a one pot dish made with lentils, rice and minimal spices and has a porridge like consistency.
In Ayurveda, it has been considered a restorative, gut soothing meal. It is comforting, perfect for someone recovering from sickness and due to its high nutritional vale, it is also one of the first solid food given to babies.
Here are my yellow moong dal khichdi and masoor dal khichdi recipes.
About My Recipe
Kali Urad Dal Ki Khichdi In our home, it is a tradition to make urad dal khichdi on Makar Sankranti. The festival of Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of Hindu new year as per the hindi solar calendar. In different parts of India, it is celebrated as Lohri, Pongal, Bihu etc and is associated with unique regional food dishes. Black urad dal khichdi is very common on Makar Sankranti in north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal pradesh Every home has their own way of making khicdhi and there is no right or wrong method. Here are a few notes about my recipe:-
Ingredients
Dhuli Urad Dal Chilka- It is the split urad dal (black gram dal). Urad dal (black gram dal) comes in 3 different varieties, please see the picture above for the one we need for this recipe. Rice - Urad lentils take a while to cook so you want to use a rice that can stand up to that extra time of cooking without getting overcooked. Dont use short grain rice, either long grain or medium grain rice is good. Whole Spices - Cloves, bay leaf, black cardamom and cumin seeds. Other Ingredients - Ginger, hing, desi ghee and salt.
Substitutes
How to Make Sankranti Khichdi (Stepwise Pictures)
You can make khichdi in pressure cooker or instant pot. I make it on stove.
Start by wash both urad lentils and rice 3-4 times under running water. Soak the lentils and rice for at least 20 minutes in room temperature water. I soak it for as long as I can - up to an hour is good!) If I am making khichdi for lunchtime, I soak it around breakfast time. In a wide heavy bottom pot or iron kadai, melt the ghee over medium heat. Temper the ghee with hing, whole spices and ginger. Saute for a few second until fragrant taking care not to burn. Add the soaked lentils and rice (without the water). Toast with the ghee and spices for a minute or so. At this point you could add a bit of turmeric powder if you wish. Add cups of water to cover the lentils and rice (roughly 1.5 inch above the surface). Now add fresh crushed black pepper and salt. Taste.
Pro Tip :- The water should taste sharp salty right now for a well seasoned khichdi.
Bring to a boil. Then, set the stove to low and let the khichdi cook for about 25 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft. You will need to check from time to time, stir and adjust the water quantity (use hot water) as needed. Make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of pot. Alternatively, you could cook the khichdi in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.
Note :- The consistency of khichdi is not set in stone. It depends on personal preferences. I like a semi thick consistency khichdi. Many people (including my mom) like a fluffy (khili hui khichdi). Adjust the consistency as desired.
Once the khichdi is cooked, mix in the chopped cilantro and serve with a dollop of ghee.
Pro Tip :- You could make an easy tempering (tadka) for topping for this delicious khichdi. Simply crackle 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 2-3 dried red chillies in 2-3 tablespoon ghee.
Serving Suggestion
In words of my grandmother “Khichdi maange cheeze chaar- mooli, ghee, dahi, achar”. In india we say that a main course khichdi meal calls for 4 mandatory things/sides namely fresh radishes, ghee, a bowl of plain yogurt and a spicy pickle(like this). You could serve side dishes like dahi baigan or bharta on the side too. Enjoy!
Some Tips
Use recently purchased urad dal. Lentils lying around for more than 3-4 months have harder skins and the taste is along bland. Fresh ginger is one of the key flavors in this khicdhi, use less quantity if you dont like its however dont skip it. Stirring the khichdi while it cooks makes it creamier since the starches in lentils and rice are released. Don’t skimp on ghee.
Recipe
