Kitchadi: Indian One-Pot Cooking at Its Best
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
1 c
dried long grain white rice (not basmati)
1 c
dried moong dal
3 tbsp
vegetable oil (or ghee)
1 tsp
mustard seeds
6
dried cloves
2
small cinnamon sticks
2 tsp
turmeric powder
1 tsp
red chile powder
salt to taste
sweet mango pickle (optional, for serving)
Kitchadi: Indian One-Pot Cooking at Its Best
There aren’t many one-pot dishes in Indian cooking, but kitchadi is one of the few. A filling mix of rice, lentils, and spices like turmeric and mustard seeds, the dish is quite healthy, too. Serve it with a dollop of ghee, some creamy plain yogurt, or a spoonful of spicy mango pickle for a super easy but hearty meal.
4 servings
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the dried rice and lentils. Rinse the mixture well with water and then drain.
- Pour the washed rice and dal into a large, oven-proof pot along with four and a half cups of water. Set aside.
- In a small pot, heat the oil. When nice and hot, add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds pop, add in the cloves and the cinnamon sticks and then turn off the heat. This cooked oil and spice mixture is known as a tadka.
- Add the tadka to the pot containing the rice, dal, and water. Add the turmeric, red chile powder, and salt to taste. Stir to combine and then bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Let it cook for one minute.
- Then cover tightly with a lid and place the pot in the preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then turn off oven but do not open the door. Let the pot sit in the closed oven for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked, the lentils are soft, and there is no water left.
- Divide the kitchadi between four bowls or plates (or whatever vessel you fancy, really). It’s great on its own, but to round it out you can serve it with things like a spoonful of sweet mango pickle, or a glass of buttermilk, or both!
Khushbu Shah
Khushbu Shah is a food writer who spends way too much money on fancy dairy products.