Think about Gujarat and you just can’t help but think about khichu. This very simple dish from the north western state of Gujarat is in fact a signature add-on to the Gujarati menu. It is simple to make and takes little or no time to put together at all, once the ingredients are sorted. The taste of khichu appeals to people of all ages and beyond geographical confines. The best part about khichu is that it is not at all very spicy and comes with the goodness of ingredients finely balanced to meet the demands of aroma and taste.
Ingredients:
1 cup of green moong dal
1 cup of fine quality rice
1 cup of finely chopped assorted veggies
1/4 teaspoon each of turmeric powder and peppercorns
Water for cooking
Salt to taste
1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter
Popular Accompaniments:
Kichu is a scrumptious and simple meal that kids and seniors enjoy. It is particularly served to the ailing and makes a great homemade take-away while you are traveling or on a picnic. It goes well with the typical Gujarati curd curry or kadhi and an assortment of pickles or papads. You can eat kichu as it is and there is no doubt that it is best eaten piping hot. In Gujarat the meal is used to introduce children to solid foods. It is popularly served at all meals and even as a tea time accompaniment, in bowls garnished with freshly chopped coriander leaves or mint. Kichu is complete in the daily dose of protein and fiber that the body requires and thus an important component of a well balanced meal.
Preparation:
You need to first wash the moong dal well and set it aside.
Then do the same with the rice.
Soak both the rice and the moong dal in water enough to cover the whole quantity.
About 10 minutes later, drain the rice and moong dal well and in a large mixing bowl mix them together with turmeric powder and the whole peppercorns.
Main Cooking:
After the rice, moong dal, pepper corns and turmeric are evenly mixed, add around 5 cups of water and as much of salt as your taste buds permit and allow the mixture to cook, preferably in a rice cooker for around 15 minutes.
Presentation:
Once the steam is released and the aroma of the protein rich meal fills the kitchen, add the ghee and serve hot.
