Khichdi when you are famished | a meal under 30 minutes


Yes, I was famished when I returned from the Krishi Mela (Farmer's fair) at IARI. It was painfully sunny in the first week of March and my first exposure to harsh sun after a pleasant winter. Hunger and sun make a painful concoction to give me headaches. I just gulped some water, popped in a few almonds to chew on and mixed some lentils and rice in the pressure cooker almost in the same breath. Ten minutes of plucking some Bok choy fresh from the garden, and chopping some more greens ... sauteing for another 5 minutes and my meal was ready.

A meal under 30 minutes can be such a blessing when you are famished. Better than ordering food I say.

healthy khichdi recipe

A satisfying, tasty meal. Gorgeous to look at, I had a new cherry red ceramic plate and wanted to click this picture when I started out to eat this. Never mind the plate is all covered with more gorgeous food. I am happy. Khichdi does that to me and I have many versions of this Indian staple risotto on my blogs. And they bring me lots of complements.

ingredients...

To be pressure cooked or cooked ...
red lentils 50 gm or 2 heaped tbsp
healthy khichdi recipe
basmati rice  25 gm or 1 heaped tbsp
salt to taste
turmeric powder 1 tsp
water 2 cups

To be sauteed...
broccoli florets 2 cups
chopped greens of spring onion 1 cup
chopped garlic 2 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
ghee 2 tsp

preparation...

Mix everything in the pressure cooking list and place on the stove. Pressure cook till the first whistle and then minimise flame and another 5 minutes. Take off the flame and let it cool while you arrange the other remaining things..

If you are not using a pressure cooker, cooking this mixture in a heavy base pan, covered with lid is a good way to cook it stirring in between till the lentil and rice are cooked.


Heat ghee in a pan and tip in the cumin seeds, followed by garlic. let them brown a little. Tip in the broccoli florets and toss and turn till the broccoli florets are a little braised.


Add the chopped green parts of spring onion and let them wilt. Add the red chilly powder too.

This sauteeing takes about 5 minutes total.




Still some time left till the khichdi is cooked in the pressure cooker, so you can chop and grate a few vegetables to make a raita...



My vegetables for the raita this time were garden fresh Bok choy and a red Asian carrot.

Chopped and grated.

Five minutes total.





Mixed with a cup of whipped plain yogurt, seasoned with salt n pepper and a dash of roasted cumin powder if you like. The raita is as refreshing as it can be. Summers will be more raita less soups.

I find meals like this the most satiating and easy to concoct in my routine. I believe one needs to know basic cooking in order to follow a healthy eating routine. I get many queries regarding simpler ways to incorporate healthy ingredients and simply cooked meals. Why not buy and store lots of fresh vegetables in the fridge all the time, buy precut if you don't have time to chop and wash. Cooking can be made really quick using a pressure cooker or a microwave or both when you have to cook a couple of dishes in a limited time.

And I believe simplicity in the meals is useful in many ways. One you don't have to slave the stove and feel disgusted before you set out to eat your meal. secondly, if you can pack in as much taste and nutrition in a simple meal, isn't it a great way to follow healthy eating routine all your life?

After all we all want to make it workable, something that doesn't take all your time in the kitchen and saves you from unnecessary cravings. Now you know how your untimely cravings lead you to mad eating when you have skipped a meal or have compromised on fixing a decent meal for yourself.

healthy khichdi recipe

Fix it yourself I say. Make it simple when in a hurry and plan a culinary storm when you are in a creative mood. Cooking up a storm needs to start with a happy mind and should  culminate with a happy mind. Let it be occasional if it can't be affordable more frequently, and fix up simpler tasty meals till then.

What say?

Comments

  1. This is not just a meal i will have when I am famished but also something I make very often just because its my comfort food! I have never tried adding veggies though! The dal khichdi we get in Bombay is a blend of 3-4 types of dals..overcooked till mushy..Yum!! Will try ur way soon!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Shireen. It's my comfort food as well. My multigrain khichdis include many daals and many cereals grains too, this site has many of them. It happens when you love some thing just too much :-)

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  2. out in the sun gives me too headaches..... by the way i too brought a cherry red plate recently.... same color like yours:-)

    khichdi with some salad or raita is a comfort food for both hubby and me. whenever i am short of time, its khichdi i always end up making.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Dassana..it has been a nourishing food since the time of vedas. Isn't it?

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  3. Replies
    1. Yes Sukanya...this is one meal which is so accommodating and forgiving.Isn't it?

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  4. i think this is perfect khichdi to make tomorrow post holi revelry...when we (me and hubby) we be hungry but too tired to cook anything elaborate!!!
    perfect timing on the post!!!

    http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/

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  5. Sounds and seems delightful. Will give this one a go with pearl barley instead of rice.

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    1. I love it Anita. With soaked barley it will take the same time to cook. Will be great.

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  6. The pic is tempting me to cook this.I made you multigrain khichdi,it was super tasty.....

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    1. Thanks Saritha, That multi grain khichdi is a much loved one with many of us :-)

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  7. ncie and healthy too as usual :) thank you

    Bikram's

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  8. This looks so yummy! I'm a die-hard khichdi lover. I also put broccoli in khichdi sometimes, but my husband hates it.
    btw I haven't updated you, I made the whole wheat apple cake using your recipe. It turned out brilliant! thanks.

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    Replies
    1. I love such feed backs. Thank you Gangubai :-)

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  9. That looks really lovely :) I totally agree with you that one must have the basic cooking skills if one wants to eat healthier. Knowledge, afterall, is power, isn't it? :)

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  10. love this kind of meal and your garden is just too cool share more snaps

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    Replies
    1. Thanks rebecca...I keep posting pictures of my garden on facebook :-)

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  11. Such a healthy recipe with my favorite ingredients. I love lentils and broccoli!

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  12. Hi Sangeeta, This is absolutely my kind of food, served on my kind of plate :) I cant make this at home as the elder one runs away at the sight of green and younger one would just pick to please me and then follow suit.. and the better half.. poocho mat..

    Well Sangeeta this is in answer to your query regarding my FB account, yes I used to have one now I have logged out permanently due to some personal reasons..

    take care
    warm regards

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  13. Hello,

    I am always on the lookout for healthy, nutritious and simple meals and this recipe meets all those requirements. Just a question, it is 2 TBSP of red lentils and 1 TBSP of basmati rice? That doesn't seem to be too much..

    Thanks!

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    1. Hi Tejal,
      The quantity is for one serving and with all these vegetables added to the khichdi it's not less actually. You can double the recipe if you wish, or just increase the amount of lentils and rice. Served with such a big helping of raita , the khichdi is quite filling. Do try and please let me know how it was for you.
      Thank you.

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  14. Thank you Sangeeta, I'm having a look at your other recipes as well and I'm very excited about finally finding a blog dedicated to mainly vegetarian, healthy and nutritious recipes! Can't wait to start trying them. Thank you again :)

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