Khichdi

Khichdi means mixture, usually of one grain and a lentil. This is a recipe that’s nourishing and easy to digest and a good choice for autumn.

Ingredients

– Basmati rice: 1/2 cup
– Mung bean lentils/ mung dal (split yellow beans) 3/4 cup
– Water: 6 cups (approximately)
– Fresh ginger: (chopped or grated): 1/2-1 inch
– Himalayan Oink salt: As per taste (1/4 tsp. or so)
– Ghee: 1 tablespoon
– Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
– Cumin powder: 1/2 teaspoon
– Whole cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
– Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
– Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
– Fresh cilantro leaves: a handful
– 1 and 1/2 cups assorted vegetables (optional)

Preparation

Step 1: Separately wash rice and lentils in 2 changes of water. Cook the rice and dal in 6 cups of water, covered for 20 minutes.

Step 2: While it cooks, prepare some vegetables you prefer, cut them nicely, and add them to the above mixture and cook for 10 minutes more.

Step 3: In another saucepan, saute the seeds in the ghee until they pop. Add the spices and mix them up to get a hot and spicy smell and release the flavors. Add the sauteed spices into the cooked mixture and stir well. Add required amount of salt and freshly chopped cilantro.

Some tips:

1. Vegetables such as zucchini, asparagus, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, celery, cucumber, radish are good options.
2. You may add sultana, dates, prunes, pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds (only one from this list to ensure digestion) in step 3 to improve taste and for more nutrients.
3. If your digestion is weak, prefer the basic recipe without any vegetables, dry fruits or seeds. If you are sensitive to lentils reduce the quantity of lentils to one fourth. If your digestion can handle you may add a quarter cup of one vegetable.
4. For Vata conditions add a pinch of ginger powder. For Kapha a pinch of long/black pepper.
For Pitta, leave out the mustard seeds from the recipe.

As khichdi contains good amount of lentils, it’s a good source of proteins. Vegetables and other ingredients increase nutritional value where as gentle spices ensures easy digestion. Mung beans are comparatively safe for almost everyone.

Nutrition value:

Therapeutic value:
Helps to improve digestion and supports healing. As khichdi can be digested easy and has high nutritional value it’s considered as a detox diet supporting healing.