Delicious Vegetable Khichdi

Delicious Vegetable Khichdi

This rich and elaborate Parsi-style khichdi transforms a humble rice and lentil dish into a festive feast by incorporating a vast array of root vegetables, greens, and fried onions. Unlike everyday versions, this recipe uses strained curd and thick coconut milk to create a luxurious, moist texture similar to 'Malida', while the 'dum' cooking method infuses the grains with the warm aromas of shahjira, cardamom, and cloves. The unique addition of grated cucumber and fried okra adds surprising layers of texture and flavor to this savory, golden-hued masterpiece.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Aged Rice (or Basmati) (Originally '1 Tipri old rice'. Converted to approx 2 cups.)
  • 2 cups Tuvar Dal (Split Pigeon Peas) (Originally '1 Tipri new tuvar dal'. Converted to approx 2 cups.)
  • 4 cups Curd (Yogurt), slightly sour (Originally '2 Sher'. To be strained of water.)
  • 1 cup Ghee (Originally '1 Sher' (approx 2 cups). Reduced for modern preference, but can use more for authenticity.)
  • 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 Sher'. Sliced fine.)
  • 1 pound Mixed Root Vegetables (Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Yam) (Originally '1 Sher' combined. Peeled and cubed.)
  • 1 pound Cucumber (Originally '1 Sher'. Peeled and grated.)
  • 1 pound Mixed Vegetables (French Beans, Carrots, Pumpkin, Eggplant) (Originally '1 Sher' combined. Cut into small pieces.)
  • 2 tablespoons Salt (Originally '4 Tola'. Adjusted for taste.)
  • 1 tablespoon Shahjira (Caraway Seeds) (Originally '6 Tola' (likely a typo for Masha or meant for a huge batch). Adjusted to 1 tbsp.)
  • 1 tablespoon Cardamom pods (Originally '6 Tola'. Adjusted to 1 tbsp.)
  • 2 tablespoons Ginger paste (Originally '6 Tola'. Adjusted to 2 tbsp.)
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic paste (Originally '2 Val' (very small amount) or '2 Tola'. Adjusted to 1 tbsp.)
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '2 Val'.)
  • 2 sticks Cinnamon (Originally '2 Val'.)
  • 6 whole Cloves (Originally '2 Val'.)
  • 7 whole Green Chilies (Slit lengthwise.)
  • 7 whole Okra (Bhinda) (Tender ones.)
  • 1 whole Coconut (Used to extract thick milk.)
  • 4 cups Water (Estimated for cooking dal and rice.)

Instructions

  1. 1Clean the tuvar dal and wash it with cold water. Half-cook (parboil) the dal in about 2 cups (1 sher) of water. Keep the dal in its cooking water; do not drain completely. Clean and wash the rice gently.
  2. 2Grate the coconut and extract about 1/2 cup (1 pasher) of very thick coconut milk. Wash and wipe the okra, remove ends, and slice into fine rounds. Cut the French beans into fine strips (like vermicelli). Peel and cut all other root vegetables and mixed vegetables into small gram-sized pieces. Wash the green chilies and slit them lengthwise, keeping the stems attached. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic. Peel and slice the onions into fine strips.
  3. 3In a tinned pot (or heavy-bottomed pan), heat the ghee. Fry the root vegetables (potatoes, yam, sweet potatoes) and okra separately until cooked, then remove them. In the same ghee, fry the sliced onions until they are very red and crisp.
  4. 4To the pot with the fried onions, add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté briefly. Add the parboiled dal (with its water), the washed rice, and all the remaining ingredients: fried vegetables, raw vegetables, grated cucumber, green chilies, salt, shahjira, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and the thick coconut milk. Mix well with a spoon.
  5. 5Cover the pot and cook on a slow fire. While it cooks, drain all the water from the curd (hang it or strain it) so only the thick solids remain. When the water in the khichdi has mostly dried up, add the strained curd solids. Mix the khichdi gently from top to bottom to incorporate the curd.
  6. 6Place hot coals on the lid of the pot and keep a low fire underneath (or bake in a slow oven at 300°F/150°C) to cook by the 'dum' method. Cook until the khichdi is completely dry and the grains are tender. Note: If using new rice, add about 1/2 cup extra water to the dal initially. If using old rice (as recommended), use double the water or adjust as needed to ensure grains are cooked but not mushy. The final result should be tasty, soft, and reddish like Malida.
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