Moong Dal Khichdi - Indian Comfort Food
Khichdi is the ultimate comfort food in India — the equivalent of grandma's chicken soup. Rice and moong lentils cooked together in plenty of water until you get a creamy, comforting texture.
Ingredients
- Short-grain rice (round rice, sushi rice or ideally Sona Masuri): 150g
- Moong dal (split, hulled yellow mung lentils — the most digestible): 150g
- Ghee: 2 tablespoons (or neutral oil)
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Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
- Whole dried red chilli (optional): 1
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Asafoetida (hing): 1 pinch
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Lakadong turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Water: 1.2 litres (i.e. 3 volumes per 1 volume of rice+dal)
Instructions
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1
Toasting (key step) — Before washing the moong dal, dry-toast it in a saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until it gives off a nutty aroma and turns lightly golden. This is what gives the khichdi its authentic, deep flavour.
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2
Washing — Combine the rice and the toasted moong dal. Wash them together 3 to 4 times in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain.
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3
Cooking — In a large saucepan, combine the rice+dal mix with 1.2 litres of water. Add the salt and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grains completely lose their shape and turn into a creamy, smooth mass.
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4
⚠️ The final texture looks like a thick porridge — this is completely normal and intentional! It's not failed rice, it's exactly the traditional consistency of khichdi.
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5
The Ghee Tarka — In a small pan, heat the ghee over high heat. Add the cumin seeds — they should sizzle immediately. Then add the pinch of hing and the dried red chilli. Wait 15 seconds. Pour immediately over the steaming khichdi and cover for 1 minute to trap the aromas.
Tips
💡 Why hing in the tarka? Hing must be activated in hot fat to release its onion/garlic aromas — added straight into water, it stays inert and tasteless. Serve hot, with papads (thin crispy lentil flatbreads to grill or fry) and achaar (spicy Indian condiment of lacto-fermented fruit or vegetables, the equivalent of our pickles but far more aromatic). 💡 Did you know? Moong dal khichdi is considered in Ayurveda the easiest dish to digest — it's the first solid food given to babies in India, and the favourite dish of those recovering from illness.
Spices used
Find the spices from this recipe in our shop.
Lakadong Turmeric Powder
Cumin seeds
Asafoetida (Hing)
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