Moong Dal Khichdi (Mag Ni Dal Ni Khichdi) Recipe

I have been down with a cold for the past two weeks and have been gobbling down comfort food. Two of my go-to comfort foods when I am sick are tomato soup and khichdi. This time it had to be only khichdi as my doctor had asked me to stay away from sour foods so that I wouldn't get a cough apart from the cold.

Moong Dal Khichdi (Mag Ni Dal Ni Khichdi)

Moong dal khichdi is a soft, pliant, soupy dish of rice and split green gram. I make mine very lightly spiced by adding whole spices to it when cooking it instead of dried spice powders. This adds a flavourful aroma to the khichdi without being overpowering. 

Moong Dal Khichdi (Mag Ni Dal Ni Khichdi)

Moong dal khichdi is a quick one-dish meal fix for those days when you are in a hurry and want something comforting. It is best served slightly mashed when it is hot with a little bit of ghee. You can eat it with a variety of accompaniments such as salads, yogurt, kadhi, papad, pickles etc. to add different tastes and textures to the meal. 

Moong Dal Khichdi Up Close

Moong Dal Khichdi (Mag Ni Dal Ni Khichdi) Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rice

1 1/2 cups split green gram (chhilkewaali moong dal)

5 cups water

1 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

4-5 whole black peppercorns

1 star anise

2 inch cinnamon stick

2 dried bay leaves

Salt to taste

Mix together the rice and the split green gram, wash them well and soak them for 30 minutes in 3 cups of water.

In a pressure cooker, put in the soaked rice and green gram mixture and the remaining 2 cups of water.

Add in the salt to taste,  the turmeric powder and the red chilly powder. Mix well.

Now add in the whole spices - peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick and dried bay leaves.

Pour the ghee on top of the water.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles on a high flame. Then lower the flame and cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove the whole spices from the prepared khichdi and mash it a little using a potato masher or the serving spoon.

Serve hot with the other accompaniments.