Kichidi/ Lentil-vegetable rice

My mother made this when she was too tired to cook separate dishes.It was usually served hot with papadam/appalam or pickle. A very healthy and tasty meal.

Kichidi

a) Preparation without vegetables:

Step 1: Soak one and half cups of rice and quarter cup of thuvar dhal for 15 minutes. Then wash and drain the water.

Step 2: Cut two small or one big tomato, six pods of garlic, one inch of ginger and three green chillies.

Step 3: In the pressure cooker, fry in oil one pattai(cinnamon bark), two lavang(cloves), one bay leaf, a little saunf/fennel, one onion cut pieces and all the items in Step 2. Don’t allow the mix to brown.

Step 4: Add four and half cups of water. Put the rice, dhal and required salt. Pressure cook the entire mix upto two whistles.

Do not open immediately. Remove the lid after 10 minutes when the steam subsides.

Note:According to the quantity of kichdi, increase the proportions of all other items.

b) Preparation with vegetables:

Step 1: Cut required quantity of beans, carrots and one potato. Add some peas.

Step 2: Cut one big onion, one inch ginger and one tomato. Slit two green chillies.

Step 3: Soak for 10 minutes one mug of rice and a little less than half mug of moong dhal together. Wash and drain the water.

Step 4: In the pressure cooker, fry in oil half tsp of jeera, one bringi leaf and all the items shown in Step 3. Tomato is to be added only last. Then put all the vegetable and stir well with required salt.

Step 5: Put the rice and dhal, half tsp of red chilli powder, one tsp of dhania(coriander) powder, a little of turmeric powder and stir well.

Step 6: Pour three and half mugs of water and pressure cook the entire stuff till two whistles. Transfer the kitchdi to another vessel when the cooker is opened. Add dhania leaves if required.

Note:According to the quantity of kichdi, increase the proportions of all other items.