Khichdi (Indian rice and lentil porridge)
Rice and red lentils simmered with ginger, cumin and turmeric until soft and spoonable, the gentle one-pot Indian comfort food people make when they want something that feels like a hug.
- 40 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $0.67 a serving
- 340 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 cup basmati rice
- ½ cup split red lentils
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup plain yogurt (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 5 cups water
- 1¼ tsp salt
Each serving has about 340 calories, 10 g protein, 57 g carbs and 8 g fat, and costs about $0.67 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No basmati rice? Jasmine rice or long-grain white rice works.
- No frozen mixed vegetables? Frozen peas or frozen corn or frozen green beans work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
- No plain yogurt? Plain Greek yogurt works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the rice and lentils together in a strainer until the water runs mostly clear.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ginger, cumin and turmeric and stir 30 seconds, .
Fragrant. Fragrant means cooking until you can clearly smell it, usually garlic or spices, often in about 30 seconds. That’s the moment the flavor is ready, just before it can burn.
How you’ll know: You can smell it from a step back, and garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Medium heat
Add the rice and lentils and stir 1 minute, until coated in the spiced oil.
Medium heat
Add the vegetables, water and salt and over high heat.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Turn the heat to low and 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until soft and thick like risotto.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Lid ajar. Lid ajar means resting the lid on the pot slightly off-center, leaving a small gap. Some steam escapes, so the sauce thickens and doesn’t boil over, while most of the heat stays in.
How you’ll know: A thin wisp of steam drifts out of the gap, and the pot bubbles gently without spilling.
Low heatTimer: 27 min
Dolly’s tip: It’s meant to be soft and spoonable. If it gets too thick, stir in hot water.Squeeze in the lemon, taste for salt, and serve in bowls with cilantro and a spoonful of yogurt.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
More dinners like this
Greek spinach rice (spanakorizo)
40 min
Instant Pot chickpea pulao
40 min
West African–style peanut stew with sweet potatoes
45 min
Mexican red rice with black beans
40 min
One-pan dinners ›Vegetarian dinners ›What to make with rice and frozen mixed vegetables ›