Masala Khichdi Recipe
Masala Khichdi is a nourishing one-pot dish made with lentils, rice, spices, and vegetables. It is perfect for quick weekday lunches or dinner. Use my easy recipe to make it in an Instant Pot or a traditional stovetop pressure cooker.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked white rice preferably short-grain sticky rice
- ½ cup split green gram lentils (green moong dal)
- 2 tablespoons ghee use oil for vegan
- 2 cloves (laung)
- 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 4 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ cup thinly sliced onions
- 2 green chilies slit into half
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- ½ cup peeled and cubed potatoes ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup peeled and cubed carrots ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Add rice and moong dal to a medium-sized bowl. Rinse them 2-3 times with water until the water runs clear.
- Soak the washed rice and lentils in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes.
- Press SAUTE button of the instant pot.
- Add ghee to the pot.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and green chilies to the pot and cook until the onions turn slightly browned (4-5 minutes), stirring at regular intervals.
- Once the onions are browned, add ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
- Add potatoes, peas, and carrots, and cook for a minute.
- Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt, and cook for a minute.
- Drain the water from the rice and lentils and add them to the instant pot along with 3 cups of water, lime juice, and cilantro, and stir gently.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press CANCEL and then PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 12 minutes at 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.
- Stir the khichdi with a large spoon.
- If the khichdi is thick, add some boiling hot water and adjust its consistency. The consistency of khichdi should be like porridge.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Garnish the ready masala khichdi with fresh cilantro and serve hot with ghe, yogurt, papad, and green chutney.
Video
Notes
To make masala khichdi in a pressure cooker, add the spices, moong dal, rice, and vegetables. Add 4 cups of water and stir gently. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and stir well. Serve hot with ghee, green chutney, yogurt, and papad (poppadum).
This recipe can be easily scaled. I used my 3-quart Instant Pot to make masala khichdi for 4 people. If you are doubling the recipe, then use a 6-quart Instant Pot. The cooking time will not change.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 680mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2906IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
