Dalia Khichdi (Broken Wheat Khichdi)
on Jan 12, 2021, Updated Aug 07, 2023
Dalia Khichdi (Broken Wheat Moong Dal Khichdi, Fada ni Khichdi) is a healthy Indian comfort food made with yellow lentils and broken wheat. Here is how to make it.
If you are looking for more comforting khichdi recipes like this, try Dhuli Moong Dal Khichdi, Bajre Ki Khichdi, Vegetable Oats Khichdi, Jau Moong Dal Khichdi, Sabudana Khichdi, and Jowar Khichdi.
Mohit’s family is very particular about their food. They lived in Old Delhi for quite some time and had specific vendors for specific ingredients. Some of his aunts still manage to get their groceries from the age-old shops they always used.
Dalia always comes from shop number 15 in Khari Bowli. They also manage to ship a year’s worth of supplies to their kids staying abroad. That is some commitment, I must say!
Now, I buy organic dalia from wherever it is easily available. It might not be as good as the one sold at Pandrah Number Dukaan, but it is decent.
I frequently make dalia khichdi, doodh dalia, and dalia upma for breakfast. In this post, I share my favorite dalia khichdi recipe!
About Dalia Khichdi
Dalia means broken wheat, and Khichdi means savory porridge.
Dalia Khichdi, also known as broken wheat khichdi, daliya khichdi, or fada ni khichdi, is a healthy Indian comfort food made using petite yellow lentils (dhuli moong dal) and broken wheat (dalia). It comes together in under 40 minutes using simple ingredients.
Traditionally, khichdi is made with lentils and rice, but we are making a healthier version by replacing rice with dalia, which has more fiber and fewer calories than rice.
Daliya khichdi is excellent to eat during pregnancy or if you have an upset stomach. It is also recommended if you are following a weight loss plan.
Transfer piping hot daliya khichdi to a serving plate and top it with a dollop of ghee. Mango Pickle, Papad, Plain Yogurt, and Green Chutney are a must to serve along with it.
This one-poy dalia khichdi recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. I made it in a 3-quart instant pot and a 3-liter pressure cooker. But if you are scaling the recipe, use a 6-quart instant pot or a 5-liter pressure cooker. Cooking time will remain the same.
Ingredients
Wheat Dalia – Wheat dalia is also known fada, broken wheat, cracked wheat, godhuma rava, or samba rava. It is a healthy alternative to rice because it has more fiber and fewer calories. It is also packed with vitamins and minerals and is an excellent grain for your diet.
You can replace dalia with bulgur wheat or durum wheat.
Dhuli Moong Dal – Along with dalia, you need dhuli mung dal (yellow moong dal, split, and husked petite yellow lentils), which adds protein to this healthy dish. You can also use green moong dal, toor dal, or red masoor dal instead of yellow lentil.
Ghee gives a delicious flavor to this daliya khichdi recipe. To make vegan khichdi, use oil in its place.
Veggies – I like adding carrots, green beans, potatoes, and cauliflower to make the khichdi healthier. You can skip veggies to make a plain khichdi.
Others – You will also need cumin seeds, whole dry red chilies, green chilies, fresh ginger, turmeric powder, asafetida (hing), cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), lime juice, and salt.
Add some pav bhaji masala or sambar masala while cooking to make this khichdi more enjoyable.
Add brown mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chili powder, crushed black pepper, coriander powder, and garam masala powder to make masala daliya khichdi.
You can also add some onions and garlic to this recipe.
How To Make Dalia Khichdi
Preparation
Add ½ cup dalia and ½ cup yellow moong dal to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse them under running water. Rub them a few times with your palms while washing to remove any residues. Drain and keep aside.
Prepare the veggies
- Carrot – Peel a small carrot and cut it into ½-inch cubes.
- Potato – Peel a small potato and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Soak the cubes in water until ready to use. Soaking will prevent the potatoes from turning black due to oxidation.
- Green Beans – Cut 4-5 green beans into ½-inch pieces.
- Cauliflower – Cut a portion of cauliflower head into small florets.
Cook The Khichdi
In An Instant Pot
Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot. When it says hot, add 2 tablespoon ghee to the pot.
Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and ¼ teaspoon asafetida and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
Add the following ingredients and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 2 teaspoon chopped ginger
Add the following ingredients and saute them for a minute.
- ½ cup peeled and cubed carrots
- ½ cup peeled and cubed potatoes
- ½ cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
Now add the following ingredients to the pot and mix well.
- washed dalia and moong dal
- 2 and ½ cups of water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Close the pot’s lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 12 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually, open the pot lid, and mix the khichdi well.
If the khichdi is too thick for your liking, add more water. Also, check for salt and add more if necessary.
Add 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander) and 1 tablespoon lime juice and mix well.
Serve hot.
In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Follow the recipe until adding veggies.
Now add the following ingredients to the cooker and stir to combine.
- washed dalia and dal
- 3 and ½ cups of water
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook the khichdi for one whistle on high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the lid and stir khichdi.
If the khichdi is too thick for your liking, add more water. Also, check for salt and add more if necessary.
Add 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice and mix well.
Serve hot.
Storage Suggestion
Daliya khichdi tastes best when served hot. It tends to thicken as it cools. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add some water before reheating and mix well. Then, reheat in a microwave or a pan over the stovetop.
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Dalia Khichdi Recipe (Fada ni Khichdi)
Ingredients
- ½ cup broken wheat (wheat dalia)
- ½ cup split and husked yellow lentils (dhuli moong dal)
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
- ½ cup peeled and cubed carrots
- ½ cup peeled and cubed potatoes (keep them soaked in water until ready to use.)
- ½ cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup cauliflower florets
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Rinse dalia and moong dal and set aside.
- Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot. When it says hot, add the ghee to the pot.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds and asafetida and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Add whole dry red chilies, green chilies, and ginger, and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the veggies and saute for a minute.
- Now add the washed dalia and dal, 2 and ½ cups of water, turmeric powder, and salt to the pot and stir to combine.
- Close the lid of the pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press CANCEL and then press PRESSURE COOK. Set the timer to 12 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot and mix the khichdi well.
- Add some more water if the khichdi is thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if required.
- Add chopped cilantro and lime juice and mix well. Serve hot.
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