Palak Khichdi
Palak khichdi embodies a wholesome one-pot nourishing dish that combines mung lentils and rice with the vibrant addition of spinach (palak), accompanied by onions, tomatoes, peanuts, a medley of herbs, and an array of spices.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped palak (spinach)
- ¼ or ⅓ cup raw peanuts
- ½ cup moong dal (yellow mung lentils)
- ½ cup long grained rice or basmati rice
- 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium size tomato, chopped
- 1 medium size potato, chopped
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera) or cumin seeds
- ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic – crushed in a mortar-pestle to a paste or 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoon Ghee or oil
- 3.5 to 4 cups water
Instructions
Preparation
- Pick and rinse both the rice and moong dal together with water in a strainer or colander.
- Soak them together in enough water for about 30 minutes in a bowl.
- Rinse the palak or spinach leaves well. Drain all the water.
- Chop them and then in a mixer or blender, make a smooth puree of the spinach adding very little water. Keep the spinach puree aside. You need about 2 cups of chopped spinach to make the puree.
Making Palak Khichdi
- Heat ghee or oil in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add the caraway seeds or cumin seeds, cinnamon, tej patta, cloves and cardamoms.
- Fry the whole spices on low to medium low heat for some seconds till they become fragrant. Add the finely chopped onion and saute stirring often till they become golden.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and the chopped green chilies. Saute for some seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and saute stirring often till they begin to soften.
- Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida (hing) and stir well.
- Now add the peanuts, potatoes and saute for about 2 minutes. You can choose to skip adding the potatoes.
- Add the spinach puree and continue to saute for 2 to 3 minutes on low to medium low heat.
- Drain the water from the rice and moong dal and add them to the spinach mixture in the pressure cooker. Mix very well.
Cooking Palak Khichdi
- Pour 3.5 to 4 cups water. Add salt as required and stir well.
- Check the taste and if required add some more salt. Pressure cook the khichdi on medium heat for 5 to 6 whistles.
- Once the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, then only remove the lid. Check the consistency of the palak khichdi.
- If the consistency looks thick, then you can add some hot water and simmer for a few minutes.
- Remember to stir often as otherwise the khichdi gets stuck at the bottom. If the consistency appears thin or runny, then simmer stirring often till you get the desired consistency.
- While serving, pour the palak khichdi in bowls or plates and top with ½ to 1 tsp of ghee.
- Serve hot with plain curd/yogurt or raita or a simple vegetable salad or roasted papad.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 16gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 486mgPotassium: 416mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4gCalcium: 88mgIron: 3mg
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