Instant Pot Dal Khichdi
Instant Pot Dal Khichdi – a one-pot delicious meal made with lentils, rice and a few spices. One-pot lentils and rice dish is the easiest and comfort dish to make on weekdays and goes well with yogurt and pickle.
Khichdi also called khichri, khichadi, khichuri is the most preferred dish given to the person healing from illness as it is light on the stomach and easily digestible. Arguably one of the quick and easiest dishes that pops in mind when you are exhausted after a long day at work or on lazy days when you are craving for a simple and wholesome meal. It is also considered as an ideal first food to introduce to baby.
As always, you will find the full ingredients list with measurements and detailed recipe instructions in a separate recipe box underneath the text section. To bypass the text section choose SCROLL TO RECIPE or PRINT RECIPE or click the SCROLL TO VIDEO option to watch the full video of this recipe. All options are located at the beginning of the post.
By Step Photo Instructions
Prep: Take moong dal and quinoa in a colander and rinse under running cold water really well. Also, chop up the veggies and crush the ginger garlic .
1) Turn on the instant pot with saute mode. Once hot add ghee and let it melt.
2) Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add curry leaves and hing.
3) Immediately add onion and ginger garlic.
4) Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and there is no more raw smell of ginger garlic.
5) Add carrot, peas, tomatoes, salt and spice powders .
6) Mix everything well.
7) Add rinsed moong dal and quinoa.
8) Add water and stir.
9) Cover the instant pot with a lid . Cancel the saute mode and pressure cook on manual for 5 minutes. Let it NPR . Once the pin drops open the lid.
10) Give it a good stir, the texture should be mushy and thick runny. Keep in mind that as it cools, it will solidify and thicken even more.
Instant Pot Lentils & Rice
This is a very basic plain khichdi or kitchari or lentils and rice..however you want to call it..made in instant pot which , I hope will help others like my father to self sustain.
This is my shortcut way of making khichdi. I taught my husband to make this a few years back and now I am writing this post especially for my dad.
Also, cause I know a lot of you guys dont have an instant pot. Thats why, I have also written the steps to make the exact same khichadi in a traditional pressure cooker.
Just want to emphasize that this is how I make a quick and fuss free khichdi. There are days when I have more time and patience and thats when I make the fancier and more laborious versions of this khichadi. There are probably as many ways of making this as there are cooks.The permutations and combinations could vary as per availability of ingredients and peoples palette.
This recipe is for Split Yellow Moong Dal.Outside of india they are known as Petite yellow lentils ,Red Lentils and Split Pigeon Pea Dal respectively.I usually prefer the first two cause they cook faster though a khichadi made with Toor Dal tastes better.
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Cooking Dal Khichdi In A Pot/ Pan
To cook lentils in a pot or pan, rinse and soak the lentils in hot water for at least 30 to 40 minutes. This saves some time and energy as the soaked lentils cook faster. You can soak rice and lentils together. Later drain the water.
Follow the recipe as mentioned for the pressure cooker method until you add the rice and lentils to the pan. Soaked lentils wont get roasted so skip that step and pour 4 ½ cups water.
Cook on a medium heat uncovered or partially covered so the froth wont overflow. As the dal khichdi cooks, keep checking and add hot water as required. Avoid using cold water as the pot will cool down and take longer to cook.
When the lentils and rice is soft cooked, mash it slightly with a masher or a ladle so you get a thicker consistency like the pressure cooked khichdi. Usually lentils cooked in pot wont have the same texture as the pressure cooked ones so this step will make your khichdi thicker & nice.
Serving Suggestions For Instant Pot Khichdi
I personally love eating Khichdi on its own just with a dollop of ghee on top. But you can also serve it with a cup of curd or raita of your choice.
Any spicy pickle is another yummy combination for Khichdi.
You can serve khichdi along with a Papad.
Since khichdi already has a bunch of vegetables, I dont prefer vegetables for a side. But you can serve it with your choice of vegetable stir fry too!
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What If I Dont Have An Instant Pot
No worries if you dont! Making khichdi over the stove will be pretty much the same process as in the Instant Pot. Here are the instructions on how to make khichdi over a stove:
Measure lentils and rice in a bowl together and wash 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Drain any excess water.
Heat pressure cooker on medium heat and add ghee
Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds and hing and cook until aromatic.
Then add the washed lentils and rice, followed by turmeric, salt and mix well.
Add water, mix well and close the Pressure Cooker lid – The ratio of rice and lentil to water should be 1 to 4.
Cook for 3-4 whistles and then turn off the heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
Mix well and adjust to seasoning. Top with ghee, cilantro and pickle if you like and serve hot.
How To Make Khichdi
I have used Split Yellow Lentils to make this khichdi. Khichdi can also be prepared with Split Green Moong dal. As I wanted to make this a one-pot recipe, I added the tempering before rice and dal. Khichdi is best prepared in Ghee or Clarified Butter. You can make ghee in your instant pot using the recipe here. To make this recipe vegan, use your favorite plant based oil or vegan butter.
Rinse the dal and rice in a bowl. You can also soak them for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Heat ghee in the instant pot in sauté mode. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add in equal quantities lentils and rice. I used half cup each in this recipe. Add 4 cups water. Stir in the salt and turmeric powder.
Usually khichdi is cooked in double the water than what you use to prepare rice and has a runny consistency, however you can vary the amount of water to get your desired consistency.
Change the instant pot setting to pressure cook mode for 6 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
Khichdi is ready. Serve in bowls and top with a dollop of ghee.
Khichdi tastes best when it is warm.
Enjoy Khichdi with mango pickle and yogurt on the side.
You can also serve papad and buttermilk along with khichdi.
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Why Do I Love Khichdi
1) It’s a one pot dish and quite easy to prepare. Khichadi making in an Instant Pot is a breeze but making it on the stove top without a pressure cooker is also perfectly doable.
2) It’s vegan, gluten-free, and quite nourishing. It consists of lentils, rice, and vegetables. Hence, it is a wonderful combination of protein, carbs, and vitamins.
3) It is the perfect meal when you are feeling under the weather. In India, if you have upset stomach issues, most mothers prefer to use Khichadi as a meal.
4) Lastly, it is quite light for the stomach and quite versatile. You can use any type of lentils or vegetables for making this. The most popular combination, however, is split green gram/Moong dal and white rice.
Is Dalia Good For Weight Loss
Yes, Dalia or Bulgur aids in losing weight effectively. Daliya khichdi recipe contains more fiber and is a rich source of vitamins & minerals too.
The Fiber in Bulgur or Dalia does not contribute to carbohydrates or calories because its not absorbable within the body. Hence, it helps keep you more satiated and feel fuller for longer.
In turn it helps to curb down binge eating, over-eating and supports a healthy weight.
The fiber found in the whole grains such as Dalia also helps to balance healthy blood sugar levels. This in turn promotes a healthy body weight& aids in a more stable appetite. Thus, this Dalia recipe for weight loss will help you with your weight loss goals.
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Tips & Tricks For Instant Pot Khichdi
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Keep this dish and plain and simple as you can. The simpler it is, the better it is for your tummy.
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Dont be afraid of the ghee, clarified butter has several health benefits.
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To make it more exciting, pair it with green chillies, pickle and yogurt.
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This Khichdi can also be paired with any of your favourite Indian curry, after all it is rice and lentils!
How Long To Cook Khichdi In Instant Pot
This vegetable khichdi is cooked in an instant pot with just a 1-minute high-pressure setting followed by a natural pressure release. This ensures the vegetables are not mushy and overcooked but evenly cooked with dal and rice.
First turn the saute mode on normal setting, once the container is hot, add ghee followed by peanuts and cashews. Saute them until light brown and then add the whole spices – bay leaf, peppercorn, whole red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
Saute for a few seconds and then add ginger garlic paste and optionally some serrano peppers if you want it spicy. You can make the khichdi without onion and garlic by skipping them.
Add all the vegetables, dal, rice, water, turmeric powder, and salt. Gently mix it and deglaze the pot with a spatula. To ensure the khichdi is not mushy I have used a 1:2 ratio of dal rice to water.
Press cancel to come out of the saute mode. Close the lid with the pressure valve in sealing position. Select pressure mode for 1 minute on the high-pressure setting. Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally.
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How To Make Vegetable Khichdi In The Pressure Cooker
Khichdi is rice and lentils cooked well or sometimes even overcooked. Unlike other rice dishes where the grains must be separate after cooking, in Khichdi they are supposed to be softer and maybe a little mushy. However you can adjust the consistency to your liking by adding less or more water.
As I mentioned, there are many ways of making khichdi. Today I will be making it with split green moong lentils and veggies. I previously shared a recipe for making Khichdi with yellow moong lentils, without the veggies. I also shared a recipe of masala quinoa khichdi recipe.
So here are all the ingredients I used to prepare the Masala Khichdi, minus the spices.
I did not add any whole spices, but you can add spices such as black peppercorns and cinnamon to get their wonderful aroma to the dish.
I used fresh vegetables this time, but you can use frozen vegetables as well.
In most recipes you will find khichdi is prepared with 1 part lentils and 2 parts rice. I like to increase the lentils and make the ratio 1:1, that way we can get more protein in our meal.
Start with heating ghee in the Instant Pot, then add in the cumin seeds and ginger. A variation of khichdi is to not add ginger or onions, however I love ginger too much to skip it :). If you like, you can make ghee at home in your instant pot using this recipe.
Eat it with some yogurt raita, salad or papad. Oh..and don’t forget to top it off with lots of ghee.
To make this recipe on stove top and vegan, check the recipe notes.
Dal Khichdi Recipe Variations
You can either substitute red lentils and moong dal with toor dal, chana dal , split moong dal , or use the combination of all lentils. Ensure the total quantity remains 1 cup.
As chana dal and toor dal take longer than other lentils to cook, soaking them in hot water for at least 20 minutes helps cook faster.
Alternatively, you may have to set a timer to 15 – 20 minutes if lentils are not soaked.
For the vegan version, replace ghee with oil.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free asafoetida or just do not add it.
Khichdi is considered as the best solid food to introduce for babies. Do not add salt, ginger and spices except turmeric and cumin if making for a baby.
To make it healthier add vegetables – carrot, beans, potato, peas, cabbage, turnip, kohlrabi. It is a great way to make kids eat vegetables without any fuss.
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What To Eat With With Khichdi
There is a phrase in Hindi Khichdi ke chaar yaar. Literally translated it means the four friends of Khichdi.
Are you wondering who are these four friends of khichdi?
The four friends are the sides that you serve with khichdi and which make it a satisfying complete meal. They are:
So you can serve moong dal khichdi with either or all of these four sides. You can also pair it with a raita or salad.
One of my personal favorite ways to enjoy khichdi is to drizzle it with some lemon juice and serve either with Eggplant Fries or Potato Fries and with a finely chopped vegetable salad. Also dont forget to top it with a spoon of ghee while serving!
Types Of Rice And Lentils
To make Instant Pot Khichdi, short-grain rice is the best bet. However, I have used Jasmine rice for this recipe, because it cooks easily and blends with the flavors better than most rice varieties, and brings the right consistency.
You could also try this with sona masoori brown rice. But be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
My other favorite lentil for this recipe is Moong Dal. Kichdo prepared with plain rice and moong dal are also best for babies because it is easy to digest and provide a burst of energy.
I have also tried variations with Masoor and Toor Dal and they were all pretty good too. Regardless of which one you choose, the protein per serving is still pretty high.
Masoor Dal adds a bright color to the dish and hence ends up being the most common choice.
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How To Make Quinoa Khichdi In Instant Pot
Firstly, press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil to the POT. Note: Tastes better with Ghee
Once its hot add in the bay leaf and cumin seeds, let them splutter.
Add the chopped green chilies, ginger, and onions. Saute till onions turn light brown in color.
Then add mixed vegetables, tomato and cook for a minute.
Next, add the rinsed moong dal, quinoa, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, water, salt. Mix well. Also, deglaze the pot ie, make sure there is no food particle sticking to the pot to avoid burn alerts.
Furthermore, close the lid on the pot and set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK and timer to 5 minutes.
After the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE .
Lastly, Open the lid squeeze some lime juice and add cilantro and mix khichdi well.
Note: If khichdi is not mushy or too dry then select saute mode and add an additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
Instant Pot Quinoa Khichdi recipe is ready, serve with either yogurt, raita, or kadhi.
Is Dalia Good For Diabetes
Dalia or Bulgur is good for diabetes. This is because Dalia has a low glycemic index.
This results in a steady release of glucose into the bloodstream and thus, helps in managing blood sugar levels.
Thus Daliya Khichdi recipe is a good choice for diabetics.
Its always wise to seek medical advise before including any new food to your diet. Just talk to your doctor first!
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Is Dalia Good For Health
Daliya khichdi recipe or Bulgur is a powerhouse of nutrients! Its low in fat, high in vitamins & minerals like magnesium, manganese, iron and its an excellent source of plant-based protein!
Daliya Khichdi recipe is also an excellent source of fiber, antioxidants & phytonutrients. If you are looking to fill up your dietary need of fiber on a daily dose basis, then Dalia is undoubtedly your best choice!
It provides an excellent dose of dietary fiber essential for your digestive & heart health.
Here is a list of Health benefits of Daliya Khichdi recipe
10 Health benefits of Dalia or Bulgur
Source: Times of India& Dr. Axe.
