Kichidi
Odiya Style
Kichidi or Khichri is an ancient food that can still be found all over India and Pakistan. Plenty varieties of it exist, but it is basically a combination of lentils, rice and vegetables. Nowadays, that we understand much more about nutrition it can also be considered as superfood.
In India, it is often the first solid food that babies eat, but it is also good to calm an upset stomach after flu, or a long fasting period.
We definitely recommend it for busy moms, a balanced plant based diet or for busy professionals who care about their health and want to eat healthy meals.
I particularly like this recipe not only because it is simple and quick, but also because it allows you to be flexible. Using rice and lentils as the base, you can easily omit or alternate the vegetables and make a slightly different dish every time. If you are following a 100% vegan diet, this dish is great for adding variety and taste to your lifestyle.
ENJOY and feel free to post photos of your dishes or any questions you may have!
Preparation: 10min
Cooking time: 25min
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe
Ingredients for 4 people
1 cup rice
3-4 cups boiled water
1 cup split lentils (yellow, red or mung)
1-2 cups of vegetables (carrots, peas, potatoes, cauliflower, green beans or fresh tomatoes)
1 inch ginger
Green fresh chilies (optional)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chili powder (optional)
¾ tbsp. olive oil or Ghee (preferable)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the rice and the lentils in a bowl and wash them well
- Let them in water for 20 minutes before cooking (optional)
- Cut all the vegetables into small pieces
- Heat a nonstick pan with 2-3 tbsp. olive oil in medium heat for 2-3 minutes
- Once the oil is ready (you can test it with putting one cumin seed to see if it sputters quickly) put the cumin seed into it
- Add the chopped green chilies to it (optional)
- Then add the thinly chopped ginger and cook for 30-60 sec
- Add the turmeric and chili powder and stir a bit
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes while stirring well and adding a bit of salt
- After 20 sec add the washed rice and lentils
- Keep cooking and stirring for 4-5 minutes
- Add the vegetables and cook for 2 more minutes
- Add boiled water (almost double the amount of the mixture of rice, lentils and vegetables)
- Let the food get cooked for 15-20 minutes
- Once the food is done, adjust the salt and add some ghee to enhance the taste (optional)
Tips
- Enjoy this dish warm adding some lemon to it
- Accompanying it with a green salad makes it even better for a balanced diet
- In India this lentil and rice soup is commonly used as a food for people who have stomach or diarrhea issues or as the first meal after long fasting days
- As a mother, I like to prepare it also for my children because it’s a highly nutritious meal, as well as simple and easy to prepare.