Vaghareli Khichdi

When I was a kid, I always felt ‘Khichdi’ was a typical Gujju food! Never knew that many states of India have their own version of it :) Have never tried those varieties yet, but would love to make them one-by-one soon :) Till then, I simply love it the way I have learnt since childhood!!!

May be… there was no official ‘Learning Process’ of this dish, but it’s one comfort-food that mostly every gujju girl knows since she’s a kid! Well, I have heard people calling it ‘Food for Ill people’ but I must confess that we make it often at home and it falls in our comfort food zone :) And I feel even better when I mention that hubby makes it super-yummy, which hardly happens though ;)

Even in gujjus, you’ll find 3-4 novelties of this rice dish… And here is the most common one! Smell of desi ghee tadka makes it more special every time :)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Rice
3/4 cup Toor Dal
3/4 cup Veggies (potato, peas, carrots, tomato)
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt, to taste

For Pre-Tadka–

1 tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida (hing)

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

1. Wash and soak rice + toor dal in plenty of water for 1-2 hours.
2. Heat ghee in a pressure-cooker and add mustard seeds in it.
3. Once it splutters well, add cumin seeds and hing. Let it crackle well.
4. Add ginger paste, minced garlic and chopped onions in it and saute everything for a while.
5. Mix in chopped veggies (cut into pieces) and give a quick toss.
6. Add soaked rice & tuver dal along with 1.5 to 2 cups of water and spices.
7. Pressure-cook for 4 whistles and serve hot with a bowl of yogurt!

SJ’s NOTE:

• Adjust the whistles according to your pressure-cooker!
• You can also add chopped green chillies for heat factor, which I always avoid :)