Khichdi is one of the simplest Indian recipes made with rice and lentils. My kids look at khichdi and say - “Khichdi (disappointed voice)!! Why can’t you make pooris? (or anything dripping with fat).” I look at khichdi and think - “Khichdi!! (Happy voice!!) The water content in the dish is quite high, hence calorie density is low. It is easy to feel full with a relatively small portion of dried rice + lentils. So…..YAY!!”
BUT, jokes aside…the traditional way of eating khichdi with fried papad or adding potatoes is not great for those watching their sugar levels. The glycemic index of the dish is also high. White rice and moong are both high in carbs. There is almost no fiber to stop the rise of sugar level. Hmmm, Can we take the traditional khichdi and upgrade it into a healthier bowl?
Inspiration
Have you eaten a Chipotle Bowl before? A bowl of rice and beans is topped with various salsas and veggies. Why not take the same concept and apply it to khichdi as well?
The beauty of this recipe is that it is incredibly customize-able. For the little ones and older folks, you can serve the plain (sadha) khichdi as is. For the more health conscious moms and dads, top it with your favorite salad/salsas or pickled veggies. Love avocados? Top yours with guacamole…there is not khichdi police lurking around, as far as I know!!:)
Recipe
Rice and moong dal cooked into a soft stew and topped with quick pickled veggies or salsas
- 1 cup White Rice
- 1 cup Split Moong Dal
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3-4 pinches Hing
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt (to taste)
- 1/2 cup Chopped Onions
- 1-2 Chopped Jalapenos (Green Chilis)
- 1/4 cup Chopped Coriander leaves
- 1/8 cup Chopped Mint leaves
- Chili Powder to taste
- Lemon Juice
- Salt
- 2-3 chopped tomatoes
- Lemon Juice, Salt
- Chopped Bell pepper
- Lemon Juice, Salt
- 1/2 cup Chopped carrots
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Lemon Juice, Salt
- 1 tsp Crushed Mustard Seeds
- 1 Green Chili Sliced
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1-2 pinch Hing
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Oil
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Wash the rice and moong dal in water. Soak in a cup or more of water for around 30 min.
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Add oil to pressure cooker base. Once the oil gets hot, add hing, mustard seeds (wait for it to pop). Add jeera, then add the soaked rice and dal. Add turmeric powder, salt, 2-3 additional cups of water, stir all ingredients and close the cooker.
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Let it cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat. Let the cooker release its steam naturally (another 10 minutes or more) before opening the cooker.
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Prepare salsas listed above by combining ingredients listed under each. Now top the khichdi with your favorite salsas/ salads and serve.
Conclusion
The raw/ freshly pickled veggies give a crunch to the dish. They keep you full for many hours after you have eaten. I love to top mine with plenty of veggies. It is not the prettiest dish, but if it will keep me from not thinking about food and instead focus on the rest of my life for the next few hours or more, then why not??!!
My husband craves more fat in his version. So, I top his bowl with healthy fats like a splash of extra virgin olive oil or powdered peanuts. You could try topping with shredded coconuts too.
Sometimes, my version also depends on what veggies I have left in my refrigerator. Today I had sweet bell peppers, so I used them. But, one of these days, I would like to top it with green salads or even a cabbage Cole slaw.
Anyway, I hope these posts give you ideas to make your own healthy khichdi topped with veggies version.
Post your ideas and comments below. Share this post with your friends and family on social media if you think they might benefit from such tips. Thanks for reading, supporting this blog and see you next time!!
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