Comfort bowl · One pot
Khichdi Recipe (Moong Dal and Rice Comfort Bowl)
Equal rice and dal. Plenty of water. Ghee on top.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenKhichdi is rice and moong dal cooked together into a soft, comforting porridge. It turns stiff and gluey when too little water is used, or bland without a tarka. The fix is a 1:1 rice to dal ratio with 4 to 5 times the water, and a generous ghee and cumin tarka at the end.
The 3 laws of khichdi
Why this recipe works
Mostly rice
Balanced texture.
Little water
Khichdi should flow.
Plain
The flavour.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Khichdi
Ghee tarka
The NineFoods khichdi gauge
Is the khichdi the right texture?
Stir and look.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Cook
- Rinse rice and dal, cook with water, turmeric, salt and ginger.
- Use the gauge above.
Ghee tarka
- Heat ghee, add cumin, peppercorns, cloves and hing; fry onion golden if using.
- Pour over and stir through.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Too little water.
Fix next time
Add hot water; it thickens as it cools.
Why
No tarka or low salt.
Fix next time
Add a ghee tarka and season.
Why
Too little water in a pot.
Fix next time
Stir and keep heat low.
Why
Undercooked.
Fix next time
Cook longer.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Moong dal | Base | Masoor dal |
| Rice | Base | Broken wheat (daliya) |
| Ghee | Tarka | Oil |
| Water | Texture | Vegetable stock |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Yogurt, papad, achar or kadhi.
Store
Fridge 2 days.
Reheat
Add hot water and stir on low until flowing.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the khichdi the right texture) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Khichdi FAQ
What is the ratio for khichdi?
Equal rice and moong dal, with about 4.5 cups water per cup.
Is khichdi good when unwell?
It is a traditional light meal and easy to digest.
Can I add vegetables?
Yes, peas, carrots or spinach.
Is khichdi the same as khichri?
Yes, khichri is the Pakistani spelling.