Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi (Buttery Rice & Lentils)

Let’s make Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi (Buttery Rice & Lentils). This is a nourishing Indian one-pot dish with basmati rice, lentils, turmeric, ghee and black pepper.

The clattering of pots, pans and spoons in my kitchen is a sound that fills me with comfort and joy. It’s the first dish I crave after a long trip away and the hug in a bowl I need when autumn sets in. At the first whiff of mellow rice and lentils emanating from my cooker, there’s only one thing that matters; I’m home.

What ingredients do I need to make Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi (Buttery Rice & Lentils)?

• Basmati rice – Basmati is my preference but you can use broken Basmati, Patna rice, Gobindobog, Sona Masoori, pudding rice, or any type of rice for that matter. The shorter the grains, the creamier the Khichdi will be
• Dried split moong (the type with the skins left on) – you can find these in most supermarkets or online
• Hot water
• Ground turmeric – Just a small amount is required. If you add too much turmeric, the dish will become bitter
• Asafoetida – also known as ‘hing’, for a mild onion and garlic flavour. According to Ayurveda, hing is digestive aid and is therefore added to most lentil dishes
• Salt – any will do
• Butter or ghee – Ghee is the most traditional option but I love the saltiness of butter in my Khichdi
• Black peppercorns – freshly ground black peppercorns are preferable

How to make Khichdi in the pressure cooker

1. Mix basmati rice and split, skinned moong daal (moong daal chilla) in a bowl. I use equal parts rice and lentils. Wash them well, until the water runs clear.
2. Transfer the Khichdi to a pressure cooker and add water, asafoetida (hing), turmeric and salt.
3. Bring to the boil and fix the lid onto the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low (so the khichdi doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pot). Pressure cook for five whistles. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before opening the lid.
4. Adjust the consistency with additional water as per your liking. Beat in the butter and black pepper.

How to make Khichdi without a pressure cooker

• Combine the rice and dried split mung beans. Wash them in cold water several times and then place them in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
• Add the water, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Place the lid on the pan and reduce the burner to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the khichdi is tender.
• Next, add in the butter and black pepper and beat the khichdi with a wooden spoon for a minute until creamy and porridge-like in consistency.

Kathiyawadi Khichdi

I’m making Khichdi, Gujarati style, like how they eat it on the farm in my ancestral home of Porbandar. It’s served with Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, a blow-your-socks-off garlic and chilli preserve, and a cold glass of Chaas (salted buttermilk with roasted cumin).

Is Khichdi good for babies?

This is the comfort food every Gujarati has precious memories of growing up. The porridge-like consistency of a ghee-beaten rice and lentil mishmash was usually the first solid food we ever ate as toothless babies and our fondness for it stayed with us right through to adulthood. It became a familiar and nostalgic comfort blanket for the belly.

Loaded with hearty goodness and family tradition, Khichdi was and (still is) regarded as being every doting Gujarati mother’s nourishment of choice for her child.

My recipe uses salt but feel free to omit it or reduce the amount for weaning. Just a few weeks ago, I prepared a salt-free version for my 6-month old and he gobbled it up with gusto. It was his first real taste of food, as it was mine 29 years ago.

What does Khichdi taste like?

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

What type of lentils should I use for Khichdi?

I like to use dried, split mung beans with the husks on (mung daal chilla) but you can also use the skinned yellow variety of mung daal if you prefer. As far as spices go, turmeric, asafoetida and black pepper are all that’s needed.

What are the different types of Khichdi?

• Plain Khichdi
• Masala Khichdi
• Chutti Khichdi
• Vaghareli Khichdi
• Daal Khichdi
• Palak Khichdi
• White Khichdi
• Sabudana ni Khichdi

Village-style Gujarati Khichdi recipe | Indian Khichdi recipe

Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: gujarati, lentils, rice, turmeric

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 125 g basmati rice
• 125 g dried split mung beans (the kind with the husks left on)
• 600 ml hot water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g butter or ghee
• 1 tsp freshly-ground black peppercorns

Instructions

• Combine the rice and dried split mung beans. Wash them in cold water several times and then place them in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
• Add the water, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Place the lid on the pan and reduce the burner to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the khichdi is tender.
• Next, add in the butter and black pepper and beat the khichdi with a wooden spoon for a minute until creamy and porridge-like in consistency.
• Serve with more butter or ghee and Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (optional but delicious).
• You can also cook the khichdi in a pressure cooker. Follow the same method and cook for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before opening the cooker and beating in the butter and black pepper.

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