Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi

I had not planned this to be a series. And it is not. It is just another Khichdi that I like. In fact, I have always enjoyed eating Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi or simply Chana Dal Khichdi much more than the Moong Dal version. And the credit for making a young picky eater like Khichdi goes to a sweet Mango Chutney. The Gujaratis make this excellent mango preserve called the Choondo which is perfect with this Chane ki dal ki Khichdi. In my family, my Nani would make this mango chutney/preserve almost every summer unless we all were already stocked. In our house it is also called Garam Masale ka Achaar (EDIT: I stand corrected by my parents who tell me Garam Masale ka achaar is different from the choondo! It is not sweet at all. The meethi aam ki chutney though that my Nani made was similar to Choondo). This chutney made any rice meal delicious. But why am I suddenly talking of this preserve/chutney/achaar? That is because in my opinion it pairs beautifully with this Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi!

Like any other simple Khichdi, I also consider this as a pantry dish. I usually stock various kinds of dals (lentils) including Chana dal or split chickpea lentils in my kitchen pantry along with onion and ginger. And yes there is always rice! Come on, can an Asian pantry ever be considered stocked if it does not have rice? I guess not! So starting with some simple grains and lentils, basic aromatic vegetables and a spice drawer or just a masala dabba, you too can make this simple but delicious recipe for a wholesome meal.

Let’s Soak some Chane ki Dal!

Like our Punjabi Chhole recipe, this recipe using the humble chickpea in another form definitely benefits from soaking. Why I say this is because the resulting Khichdi is not as porridge like like the Moong Dal version and the grains look intact. Since the cooking time for rice is not as long as the Chane ki dal, there is a delicate balance of water and cook time.

If you were to cook this Khichdi for an extra whistle or two with more water, the rice would be a complete mush, unless you are into that sort of consistency. And if you cook for longer without adding extra water, then you risk burning the bottom layer. If you cook this Khichdi for just 1 whistle without the pre-soak of chana dal, the chana dal will have a slight bite to it. A uncooked dal in Khichdi is definitely not favourable. So, the case for soaking the dal is stronger.

With that cleared, let’s talk about rice. I usually use Long grain Basmati. Some people prefer Sona Masuri while other use other varieties like Sela or Parmal. Use whatever is your preferred rice for everyday meals but a short grain rice like Red Matta/Pallakadan rice might not be the best for this Khichdi here. The recommended consistency for this Khichdi is Pulao like and the Basmati and Basmati Tukda variety shine here.

The proportion of chana dal to rice can vary according to your preference. Like the choice of rice, the choice to soak or not soak, the proportions too can vary since Khichdi is an extremely forgiving meal. I follow a 1:1 rice to dal proportion, but you can put more or less of either based on your preference. Just remember, if you are using more dal than rice, add a bit more water or soak for at least half an hour.

Here’s how you can make a Simple Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi

Serves 4; Yields 4 cups approx; Prep Time: 30 minutes, Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• Chana Dal, 1 cup
• Rice, 1 cup
• Filtered Water, 2 and 1/2 cup (approximately) See note below
• Ginger, chopped or julienned
• Red Onion, 1, sliced
• Ghee, 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
• Turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon (optional) – I often skip the turmeric!
• Cumin Seeds/Jeera, 1 teaspoon
• Cardamom, 1 pod (optional)
• Whole Black Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon
• Cloves, 1-2 (optional)
• Bay Leaf/Tej Patta, 1 (optional)
• Garam Masala, 1/4 teaspoon

Method

Start by measuring the Chana dal and rice. Add both to a shallow bowl and rinse and drain with water for a 3–4 times, or till the water is somewhat clearer. Let the dal and rice soak for at least half an hour.

How much water do you need to cook rice in a pressure cooker? Ideally, for every cup of rice, you need 1 plus a little more, maybe 1/4 cups of water. I usually do not measure water like that, instead just measure water using my index finger – when the water reaches till the first knuckle from the layer or rice, that is enough for cooking in a pressure cooker. I then cook the rice till the pressure cooker just starts whistling. This measure makes fluffy rice. For mushy consistency of Khichdi, add at least 4 times water and cook for just one whistle.

While the dal and rice soak, peel the red onion and slice. For the ginger too, peel and slice into small batons or if you are proficient with the knife, julienne them. You could just chop the ginger finely but the cooked long ginger strands look beautiful and are great to bite into.

Gather the whole spices you are using. Place a pressure cooker on medium heat. Once hot, add the ghee and let it heat for a few seconds. Next, add in the whole spices – jeera, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf, if using and wait for them to splutter and bloom.

Once that is done, add the ginger and stir to cook for not more than a minute. Tip in the sliced onions next and stir to cook till they are translucent.

Once the onions look somewhat translucent, add in only the soaked rice and chana dal, using a slotted spoon or your hands. Add in most of the dal and rice and mix gently with the onions. Reserve the water. Add salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder and turmeric, if using. Stir gently and cook this Khichdi mixture without the water for around 2-3 minutes. Then pour in the measure water that was used for soaking.

Sprinkle in garam masala and shut the pressure cooker. Cook only till the cooker starts gently whistling. Once the cooker starts whistling, take off from heat and let the pressure release on its own.

Once the pressure releases, carefully open the pressure cooker to reveal the Chane ki dal ki khichdi.

Fluff up the cooked khichdi by gently using a flat spatula or a fork.

Plate the Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi with homemade yogurt and sweet Mango chutney or choondo to enjoy a comforting yet simple meal.

Print Recipe

Chane Ki Dal ki Khichdi

A wholesome pantry meal of Khichdi made with Chana dal, rice and basic spices and aromatics

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Chana Dal Khichdi, Khichdi, Khichri

Servings: 4 people

Author: Sakshi Kapoor

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 cup Chana Dal Split Chickpea Dal
• 1 cup Rice I used Basmati
• 2 and 1/2 cup Filtered Water See recipe notes
• 1 Large red onion
• 2 inch piece Ginger julienned
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 pod Cardamom Optional
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder Optional
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder Optional
• 1/4 tsp Whole Black Pepper
• 1-2 Cloves Optional
• 1 Bay Leaf Optional
• 1/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder

Instructions

• Start by measuring the Chana dal and rice. Add both to a shallow bowl and rinse and drain with water for a 3–4 times, or till the water is somewhat clearer. Let the dal and rice soak for at least half an hour.
• While the dal and rice soak, peel the red onion and slice. For the ginger too, peel and slice into small batons or if you are proficient with the knife, julienne them. You could just chop the ginger finely but the cooked long ginger strands look beautiful and are great to bite into.
• Gather the whole spices you are using. Place a pressure cooker on medium heat. Once hot, add the ghee and let it heat for a few seconds. Next, add in the whole spices – jeera, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf, if using and wait for them to splutter and bloom.
• Once that is done, add the ginger and stir to cook for not more than a minute. Tip in the sliced onions next and stir to cook till they are translucent.
• Once the onions look somewhat translucent, add in only the soaked rice and chana dal, using a slotted spoon or your hands. Add in most of the dal and rice and mix gently with the onions. Reserve the water. Add salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder and turmeric, if using. Cook this khichdi mixture without the water for around 2-3 minutes. Then pour in the measure water that was used for soaking.
• Sprinkle in garam masala and shut the pressure cooker. Cook only till the cooker starts gently whistling. Once the cooker starts whistling, take off from heat and let the pressure release on its own.
• Once the pressure releases, carefully open the pressure cooker to reveal the Chane ki dal ki khichdi. Fluff up the cooked khichdi by gently using a flat spatula or a fork.
• Plate the Chane ki Dal ki Khichdi with homemade yogurt and Mango choondo to enjoy a comforting yet simple meal.

Notes

Soaking – Since this is not a recipe of a Khichdi with a porridge like consistency, I make sure to soak the dal and rice at least 30 minutes before cooking. If you were to cook this Khichdi for an extra whistle or two with more water, the rice would be a complete mush, unless you are into that sort of consistency. And if you cook for longer without adding extra water, then you risk burning the bottom layer. If you cook this khichdi for just 1 whistle without the pre-soak of chana dal, the chana dal will have a slight bite to it. A uncooked dal in khichdi is definitely not favourable. So, the case for soaking the dal is stronger.

Proportion – You can vary the proportion of chana dal to rice according to your preference. If you are using more dal than rice, add in extra 1/2 to 1/4 cup of water. 

How much water do you need to cook rice in a pressure cooker? – Ideally, for every cup of rice, you need 1 plus a little more, maybe 1/4 cups of water. I usually do not measure water like that, instead just measure water using my index finger – when the water reaches till the first knuckle from the layer or rice, usually that is enough for cooking in a pressure cooker. I then cook the rice till the pressure cooker just starts whistling. This measure makes fluffy rice. For mushy consistency of Khichdi, add at least 4 times water and cook for just one whistle.

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