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Khichdi - Instant Pot

The weird meat-looking thing on the lower right is Indian pickle.

I like my lentils best when they are broken down into mush, and I like bean/rice combination recipes, and I like when the beans and rice are mixed together so the leftovers can be stored together and maybe even cooked in one pot. And obviously, I love any excuse to try something new in the Instant Pot.

And so, when I came across khichdi on Pinterest, I was pretty excited. I'm kind of surprised I've never had it before, because from my reading it sounds like it's a pretty common Indian dish. And there are lots of variations. I chose a variation that made it into a totally uniform porridge-like mush, and I used urad dal and jasmine rice because that's what I had, though I'll definitely try it with basmati rice in the future.

Apparently khichdi is commonly served to people with sensitive stomachs - sick people, babies, etc. It was already in my meal plan for the week when I ended up with some kind of stomach bug, so I seized the opportunity to try this for my first meal afterwards, and it was the completely perfect thing to soothe my stomach and get me eating again.

I worked from this recipe from Food, Pleasure, and Health. The result was delicious and the instructions were fantastic. There are so many ways to customize this with added spices and/or vegetables in it or on it, and I will be making it regularly while I experiment with the possibilities.


The Recipe: (makes about 5 servings)
1/2 c basmati or jasmine rice
1/2 c moong daal or urad dal
1 tb coconut oil
1 tb cumin seed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin powder
2.5 c water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
optional topping: garlic, mustard seeds, onions, chilies and/or tomatoes fried quickly in oil or butter
serve with: plain yogurt and Indian pickle
  • Soak rice and lentils for 30 minutes.
  • Set instant pot to Saute.
  • Add coconut oil, then saute cumin seed for a minute.
  • Add bay leaves, turmeric, and cumin powder and stir for a minute.
  • Add rice and lentils and mix.
  • Add water and salt and mix again.
  • Close lid and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes (this is the "Rice" setting). Natural release.
  • Add more salt to taste.
  • Quickly fry some minced garlic, mustard seeds, and other optional toppings in butter (or oil to keep it vegan) and pour on top.
  • Serve with yogurt and Indian pickle.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A+
Overall reason: This is my perfect food. The texture is smooth and comforting, the flavor is delicious on its own and can easily be kicked up with the many options, it's healthy, it's cheap, and it's easy.
Time to prepare: 45 minutes, plus time to soak rice and lentils
Husband quote: "I like the texture."
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