Palak Khichdi Recipe | Spinach Khichdi
Palak Khichdi or Spinach Khichdi is a one-pot Indian main course made with brown rice, red lentils and spinach puree. Serve with yogurt, pickles and papad. Gluten-free.
Servings 3 people
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
1 cup is 250 ml, 1 tbsp is 15 ml and 1 tsp is 5 ml
- ½ cup Brown Rice
- ½ cup Masoor Dal or Red Lentils
- 1 cup Spinach Puree Check Notes
- ½ cup Onions 1 medium size Onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup Tomatoes 2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder or Haldi Powder
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Clarified Butter use oil for vegan recipe
- 1 teaspoon Jeera or Cumin Seeds
- Salt to taste
- 3 ½ cups Water to cook Check Notes
Instructions
- In a bowl, measure and add brown rice and red lentils (masoor dal).
- Rinse the rice and dal under running tap water 2-3 times until water runs clear. Soak the rice and dal for 15 - 20 mins.
- After 20 mins, drain the water used for soaking, add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally (whistle to come down). The rice and lentils should appear mushy.
- Heat a pan, add 1 tablespoon ghee, cumin seeds (jeera). Once cumin roasts and appears brown, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Next add finely chopped onions, tomatoes and turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. The tomatoes should appear mushy. Note - Deglaze the pan with 1 tablespoon of water, if required, to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pan or burning.
- Now add the cooked rice and lentils and spinach puree
- Mix well, taste check and add salt as required. Adjust the consistency of khichdi with hot water. Let khichdi cook for 1-2 mins on low heat (uncovered). Switch off flame, serve hot or warm with accompaniments of your choice.
Notes
- Water to cook - I have used 1 cup to soak the rice and lentils, 2 cups to pressure cook khichdi and around 1/2 cup to adjust the consistency of the khichdi (semi thick). Total 3 & 1/2 cups used for the recipe.
- It took me 4 whistles in a 10 litre pressure cooker to cook the rice and dal. Usually 3 whistles are good enough for white rice. If you don't have time to soak, you might have to add extra whistles, especially when using brown rice as it takes time to cook.
- Cooking rice and dal on the stove top takes a long time so pressure cooking is ideal.
- I have not used garam masala or whole spices. Feel free to add whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom and peppercorns) while tempering.
- Palak Khichdi is gluten-free. To make it Vegan, simply substitute ghee with oil.
- Substitute Masoor Dal with Yellow Moong dal or Toor Dal.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays fresh for 3-4 days.
- Khichdi thickens with time. Add hot water to adjust consistency. Re-heat on stove-top or microwave.