Khichdi (Rice-Lentil 'Risotto') with Chickpea Flour Green Beans
Hyderabad, the city where I'm from, has a very strong brunch Khichdi culture. The Khichdi that I'm familiar with is a fluffy rice and lentil combination cooked with whole spices tempered in oil. It's usually served with a masala omelette on the side and a sesame, mint & chili chutney that leaves you wanting more.
I came across a stew like version of Khichdi in Indian-Dish cookbook and was intrigued. The fact that it was cooked with split moong dal also meant that it would be super creamy, almost like a risotto. Knowing it would be a loose stew-y dish, I did not want to pair it with an omelette and chutney. Instead I decided to serve it up with a nutty lime-y green bean dish that could hold itself well in a risotto style rice and also added some cherry tomatoes in pickle spice dressing as a side salad that complement the creaminess of the rice with the crunchy seeds in the pickle dressing. This was such a good pairing that I kept wanting to eat more and more.
Both of these classic recipes have been around in India and stood the test of time. If you're in need of Indian comfort food, look no further than this luscious Khichdi spiced with whole black peppercorn and cumin seeds with a side of bright, nutty green beans in a chickpea flour mix.
Chickpea Flour Green Beans recipe adapted from Indianish cookbook by Priya Krishna
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium yellow onion, diced fine
2 jalapeno chilis, chopped fine
1.5 lbs green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1.5 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water
1.5 tbsp lime juice (from half a large lime)
Procedure:
Heat a wide 4-5 quart pan on medium heat and add chickpea flour. Stirring constantly, cook for 5-7 minutes, until the flour is nutty and light brown. Don't burn the flour. Reduce the heat to low if necessary. Remove the flour to a container and add oil to the pan Add cumin seeds and once they sizzle, add in onions and chilis and sauce for 3-5 minutes just until soft. Add in green beans, turmeric, sea salt and reserved chickpea flour and mix it in thoroughly. Add water and mix that in. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 minutes until the green beans are tender to your liking. Remove the pan from heat and wait for a minute or two and then scrape up the bottom so all the chickpea flour mix at the bottom gets mixed into the green beans. Sprinkle with the lime juice and serve.
Khichdi recipe adapted from Indianish cookbook by Priya Krishna
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
3/4 cup deskinned & split moong dal
3/4 cup jasmine rice
2 mace leaves or bay leaves
1.5 tsp whole black peppercorn
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp sea salt
9 cups water
3 tbsp oil
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried red chilis
Procedure:
Mix everything from moong dal to water in a large 4-5 quart pot and bring it to a boil on high on stovetop. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and cook partially covered stirring every few minutes so the water doesn't boil over. Let it cook for 20-25 minutes till it's thick and stew like and the rice is completely tender. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small pan, heat oil on medium high. Once shivering, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the dried red chilis and let it crisp up a little bit. Immediately pour this tempered oil over the Khichdi and mix it in. Serve hot and enjoy!
1.5 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water
1.5 tbsp lime juice (from half a large lime)
Procedure:
Heat a wide 4-5 quart pan on medium heat and add chickpea flour. Stirring constantly, cook for 5-7 minutes, until the flour is nutty and light brown. Don't burn the flour. Reduce the heat to low if necessary. Remove the flour to a container and add oil to the pan Add cumin seeds and once they sizzle, add in onions and chilis and sauce for 3-5 minutes just until soft. Add in green beans, turmeric, sea salt and reserved chickpea flour and mix it in thoroughly. Add water and mix that in. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 minutes until the green beans are tender to your liking. Remove the pan from heat and wait for a minute or two and then scrape up the bottom so all the chickpea flour mix at the bottom gets mixed into the green beans. Sprinkle with the lime juice and serve.
Khichdi recipe adapted from Indianish cookbook by Priya Krishna
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
3/4 cup deskinned & split moong dal
3/4 cup jasmine rice
2 mace leaves or bay leaves
1.5 tsp whole black peppercorn
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp sea salt
9 cups water
3 tbsp oil
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried red chilis
Procedure:
Mix everything from moong dal to water in a large 4-5 quart pot and bring it to a boil on high on stovetop. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and cook partially covered stirring every few minutes so the water doesn't boil over. Let it cook for 20-25 minutes till it's thick and stew like and the rice is completely tender. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small pan, heat oil on medium high. Once shivering, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the dried red chilis and let it crisp up a little bit. Immediately pour this tempered oil over the Khichdi and mix it in. Serve hot and enjoy!
Comments
Post a Comment