Rice-Moong Dal Kichidi

Kichidi/Kichiri is a combination of rice, lentils, vegetables and spices. There are many versions of making this, and here is my recipe using split yellow moong dal and rice. It is easy to digest and has a lot of nutritional value.

Ingredients:

1. Rice - 1+1/4 cups
2. Split Yellow Moong Dal - 3/4 cup
3. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
4. Onion - 1 (sliced lengthwise)
5. Green Chillies - 4 (or as required, cut into small pieces)
6. Salt - as required
7. Water - 4 cups ( This is for Sona Masoori rice, varies depending on the rice type)
8. Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup
9. Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
10. Turmeric - 1/4th tsp
11. Oil - 4 tsps
12. Cloves - 4 no.
13. Bay leaves - 2 no.
14. Cinnamon stick 1/4" - 1 no.
15. Cardamom - 1 no.

Instructions:

1. Wash and soak the rice and yellow moong dal for 15mins.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and fry for 2mins.
3. Add green chillies and onion and fry until onions turn brown in color.
4. Add turmeric powder, mixed vegetables, tomato and salt and cook until vegetables turn soft (~5mins).
5. Drain the water and add rice-moong dal to the above mix. Add garam masala and fry for 2mins.
6. Now transfer the contents from pan to rice cooker and add water. Adjust the salt.
7. Cook until rice is done.

Kichidi with fish fry :