Khichadi (Pongal) is a healthy one-dish meal made with rice and moong
dal.
It's known as Khara Pongal in South India. Khichadi is easy to make and
makes a great vegetarian brunch as well. Serve it with a spoonful of
ghee, lemon or any other pickle, rasam, and papads, and you have simple
yet delicious vegetarian
food.
Khichadi tastes best when slightly overcooked and is almost like
porridge.
This is
an easy pressure
cooker recipe. You can make this in the rice cooker as
well.
Wash the moong dal a couple of times. Add it to the
rice in a large steel cooker container. Add 4 1/4 cups of water and
salt to taste.
Heat oil in a small pan, and fry the cashew nuts
until golden brown, and remove and set aside.
Add hing, cumin, mustard seeds, and pepper corns. As
the seeds start to pop, add the green and red chillies, and curry
leaves, and fry for a minute. Pour this seasoning over the rice and
moong dal.
Add the cilantro leaves. Mix well, and taste the
water to make sure the salt is to your taste.
Cook the rice and dal in a pressure cooker for 3-4
whistles, or about 8-10 minutes.
Mix the khichadi and garnish with cashews.
Serve the khichadi (pongal) with a spoonful of ghee
(clarified butter) and mango
pickle, lime
pickle, or chilli
pickle.