Monday, April 25, 2011

Dahi Ni Khichdi

This is a dish that has all my favorite ingredients & I would love to eat it any time of the day!
I am never satisfied with the pressure cooker method of preparing khichdi. I always cook khichdi using the stove top method. Though stove top method takes about an hour to cook, the final result is simply WOW!

Preparation time: 15mins
Cooking time: Around 45-50 mins
Serves: 4-6 adults
Recipe Source: Adapted from Enjoy Indian Food.



Ingredients:
Basmati rice: 1.5 cups
De husked & split green gram/Moong dal: 1 cup
Yogurt/Curd: 1 cup
Salt:According to taste
Potatoes: 1 medium sized, cut into strips or cubes
Carrot: 1 small, cut into strips or cubes
Green peas: 1 fistful
Shallots/Sambar onion: 6-8 nos, coarsely chopped
Roasted coriander-cumin seeds powder: 1 tsp
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt: According to taste
Water: 8 cups (We like our khichdi mushy!)

 For green paste:
Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup
Green chillies: 4 nos
Ginger: 1 inch piece
Garlic: 1 small pod, optional
Grated coconut: 2 tbsp, fresh or frozen
Water: 2-3 tbsp

For tempering:
Ghee/Clarified butter: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1.5 tsp
Bay leaf: 1 no

Method:
  • Wash the dal thoroughly & soak them in water for 30mins.
  • Whisk the yogurt & keep aside.
  • Meantime, make a fine paste of the ingredients mentioned under the green paste section.
  • Heat a thick bottom saucepan or utensil. Add ghee. When ghee becomes hot, add cumin seeds. When seeds turn brown, add bay leaf.
  • Pour the green paste to the pan & stir well.
  • Add the turmeric, pepper powder, coriander-cumin powder to the green paste & stir.
  • Add the yogurt & mix well.
  • Drain the water from the dal & add it to the yogurt mixture.
  • Throw in the chopped potatoes, carrots, shallots & peas.
  • Add the water & allow the dal to boil & cook on a medium-high heat.
  • Meantime, wash the rice thoroughly & soak them in water for 15mins.
  • Because of the addition of yogurt, the lentil/dal takes a long time to cook. Stir the mixture once a while to ensure dal doesn't stick to the pan.
  • When dal gets 3/4th cooked((It takes around 20-25mins for lentil to get 3/4th cooked), add the soaked rice & continue cooking.
  • When the rice gets cooked (soft yet firm), add the salt. Mix well.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low & continue cooking until the khichdi becomes a little mushy (like a porridge).
  • Turn off the heat & garnesh it with coriander leaves & grated coconut (completely optional).
  • Serve it hot with a raita or kadhi or plain yogurt/curd & papad.

Notes:
  • If you feel, water is insufficient for the khichdi, add hot water in between while the rice & the dal mixture is getting cooked. However do not add hot water when the dal & rice is completely cooked.
  • If your family doesn't prefer garlic, you could omit it.
  • Cooking the khichdi on a stove top takes 2-3 times more time than the pressure cooker method. 
  • If you are in a hurry, you could pressure cook it once a while, but I recommend preparing it without the pressure cooker. 
  • Do not try to reduce the yogurt as it is the highlight of the dish.
  • Do not use butter milk, use store bought or home made plain & fresh yogurt. Sour yogurt is not recommended. 

16 comments:

  1. Never made khichdi using dahi...sounds interesting...agree wid u ,....pressure cook method is no whr compared 2 d stove top methos..looks yummmm

    ReplyDelete
  2. love ur blog.

    1st time visitor following u.

    http://rakshaskicthen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is very nice... the green paste addition is new to me but definitely sounds delicious...:)
    Reva

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yummy and delicious khichdi..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey sush...This looks sooooo....good!!! Love the addtion of curd to kichdi..And the freah aromatic paste must add to the flavor too..Must try it this way next time :)
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

    ReplyDelete
  6. Comfort food,yummy and healthy.

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  7. Yum!! Stove top for Kichdi.. got to appreciate your patience :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Khicdhi looks yummy sush..hotte hasita ide swalpa parcel kalisri heltini

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  9. hey sush,
    this is khichdi method is new to me, looks yummy, thanks

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very comforting and simply irresistible khichidi..

    ReplyDelete
  11. Very healthy and delicious Khichdi.

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  12. LOVE LOVE LOVE This kichidi recipe - reminds me of our morekali ...thanks for reminding me to blog this dish :)
    cheers,
    Priya

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  13. Delicious khichdi......yummy!!

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  14. lovely dish. looks so delicious.

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  15. Oh.. this is such a comfort food..

    New to ur space and Happy to follow u

    Do visit me as time permits !
    http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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