Masala Khichdi Recipe, Vegetable Khichdi, Moong Dal Masala Khichdi

Masala khichdi is the comfort food, especially during summers. It also serves as the best meal after a long wedding or vacation season to give rest to your tummy.

Its light and easy to prepare yet tastes amazing. The veggies and ghee in the masala khichdi make it a nutritious and a wholesome meal.

As it is a one-pot meal, it hardly takes any time to cook. When you are not in a mood to cook elaborate meals after a long day or during summers in the scorching heat, this comes to the rescue.

You can adjust the spices and pretty much everything to make this as per your taste.

Ingredients required to make Vegetable Khichdi –

Masala Khichdi Ingredients

Rice – Use a good quality broken basmati or kolam (preferred) for this recipe. However, any rice of your choice will do the job.

Dal (lentil) – I personally like to add the mix of toor and moong dal. Moong dal adds the thickness and toor dal provides required texture and flavour.

However, you can also use split green moong dal for this recipe. In fact, yellow moong dal or toor dal, alone can also be used. Adjust the quantity accordingly.

Vegetables – You can add the vegetables for your choice like – ginger, garlic, onion, potato, tomatoes, peas, carrots and beans.

However, I prefer to add only onion, tomatoes and peas.

Spices –

Whole Spices –

I usually use mustard seeds, cumin seeds and whole red chilli. You can also add bay leaf, clove, cinnamon and cardamom. Any of all of these spices tastes good in khichdi. You can do the variation as you like.

Powdered Spices –

Among powdered spices, we need only turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Salt for seasoning.

If you like it spicy, add more spices like garam masala or kanda-lehsun masala.

Ghee –

Ghee is the most important ingredient in making good khichdi.

Water as required

Lime Juice and Coriander Leaves –

Lime Juice and Coriander Leaves to finish off. It adds more flavour and freshness to the masala khichdi.

Video Recipe –

Other quick recipes –

Desi Style Macaroni

Lemon Rice

Veg Biryani Recipe in Pressure Cooker

Methi Paneer Pulao

Pre Preparation for Dal Khichdi–

This recipe doesn’t need any much of preparation.

Wash and soak rice and dal for 10 – 15 mins. Make sure to clean 4-5 times or till water comes out clean.

Cut the vegetables of your choice. I personally like onions, tomatoes and peas in this khichdi.

If you like a bit of sweetness you can also add carrots and potatoes. Keep spices ready. Rinse rice and dal just before you start cooking.

How to Make Masala Khichdi at Home –

The ghee is the main ingredient which gives aromatic flavour to the khichdi, so do not substitute it for anything else unless necessary.

In ghee add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, whole red chilli, asafetida and turmeric powder. Asafetida gives a nice flavour to the dish and helps in easy digestion.

Next, add vegetables of your choice and cook them for 2 mins.

I like my khichdi to be mild hence I use minimum spices you can also add ginger, garlic, whole spices, kasuri methi and garam masala if you wish too.

If you like spicy food, you can add kanda lehsun (Maharashtrian spice) as well.

Cook all the veggies well with spices. Add soaked and rinsed rice and dal. Roast for 2-3 mins.

Add enough water as per your preference. Adding water 4-5 times of rice and dal will yield nice loose khichdi. If you like a thicker consistency add less water.

Moong dal tends to thicken the dish so if you are serving it a bit later make it slightly loose.

Things to keep in mind while making masala khichdi –

1. Make sure to soak dal and rice well in advance for faster cooking and perfect texture.
2. Adjust water as per preference. If you plan to serve it later add extra water than required as khichdi tends to thicken with time.
3. More the ghee, more delicious it tastes. However, it is a personal choice to make.
4. Adjust spices as per taste. If making a spicy version, I would suggest you add the lime juice at the end to balance the flavours.

What kind of rice can be used for moong-dal khichdi –

You can use any type of white rice or brown rice for your choice. Though the brown rice needs extra soaking and cooking time.

I prefer using Basmati Tukdi, Dubraj or Kolam rice for this recipe, personally. The basmati tukdi gives nice creamy and well-bound texture to this recipe.

How to serve Masala Khichdi –

In India there is a saying – ‘Khichdi ke chaar yaar – dahi, papad, ghee aur achaar’.
Which mean Khichdi has 4 best friends – Curd, Papad, Clarified Ghee & Pickle.

So essentially khichdi is served with these 4 accompaniments. However, I sometimes serve it with rasam, tomato chutney or any Carrot Raita of choice.

Masala khichdi makes for great quick lunch or a light dinner recipe.

Step by Step Recipe of Masala Khichdi at Home –

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

2. Also, add cumin seeds, whole red chilli, asafetida and turmeric powder. Mix well.

3. Next, add finely chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.

4. Also, add finely chopped tomatoes. To it, add salt and red chilli powder. Mix well.

5. Cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

6. Next, add peas. Mix and cook till ghee starts to separate from the sides.

7. Add soaked and rinsed rice, moong dal and toor dal. Mix well. Roast for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.

8. Finally, add water as per desired consistency.

9. Mix well and allow to boil.

10. Cover and pressure cook on a high flame for 2 whistles and for 2-3 whistles on a low flame.

11. Switch off the flame and open the lid only after pressure is released by itself.

12. Finish it with lime juice.

13. Give it a gentle mix. Top it with some more ghee.

14. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita/curd, pickle and papad.

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Masala Khichdi

Masala khichdi recipe is an easy and quick dinner recipe, loaded with ghee and vegetables. It is a one-pot wholesome and healthy Indian meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Soaking Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  

• 3 Tbsp Ghee
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 -2 Nos. Whole Red Chilli
• 0.5 Tsp Asafoetida
• 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Tomato
• 0.25 Cup Peas
• 1 Cup Rice (Soaked and Rinsed)
• 0.75 Cup Split Yellow Moong Dal (Soaked and Rinsed)
• 0.25 Cup Toor Dal (Pigeon Pea) (Soaked and Rinsed)
• 8 Cups Water
• 1 Tsp Lime Juice

Instructions

 

• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Also, add cumin seeds, whole red chilli, asafetida and turmeric powder. Mix well.
• Next, add finely chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
• Also, add finely chopped tomatoes. To it, add salt and red chilli powder. Mix well.
• Cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Next, add peas. Mix and cook till ghee starts to separate from the sides.
• Add soaked and rinsed rice, moong dal and toor dal. Mix well. Roast for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
• Finally, add water as per desired consistency.
• Mix well and allow to boil.
• Cover and pressure cook on a high flame for 2 whistles and for 2-3 whistles on a low flame.
• Switch off the flame and open the lid only after pressure is released by itself.
• Finish it with lime juice.
• Give it a gentle mix. Top it with some more ghee.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita/curd, pickle and papad.

Video

Notes

• Tastes best when cooked in ghee.

• Basmati tukdi (Broken Basmati) gives a best texture and taste to this recipe. Kolam rice also goes well (I have used the same in this recipe).

• You can avoid adding toor dal, I personally like the taste of toor dal in masala khichdi, so I add it.

• You can also use green moong dal instead for yellow.

• Vegetables like carrots, capsicum, potatoes can be added as per taste. I personally don’t like the taste and texture of these veggies in khichdi.

• Garnish with ghee for better taste.

• You can also add ginger garlic if you wish to.

• If you are running short of time reduce the soaking time and cook for 7-8 whistles with more water.