Midday · No onion or garlic
Golden Lentil and Rice Bowl with Cumin Ghee
A soft, comforting one-pot of rice and split yellow mung lentils cooked with ginger and turmeric, finished with a cumin-ghee tempering.
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 35 min
- Total 50 min
- Makes 4 servings
Photo: Khichdi by uden by SAYANTANI MISRA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
In many Indian homes, lentil and rice porridge is the meal you make when you want something simple, warm and quietly nourishing. Rice and split mung lentils are cooked together until soft and porridge-like, then finished with a spoonful of ghee sizzled with cumin seeds. It is mild, savory and very easy to love.
Texture is personal. Some families like lentil and rice porridge thick enough to hold a spoon upright; others prefer it loose and almost soupy. The water amounts below give a medium consistency, and the notes explain how to change it. You can make it in a pressure cooker or on the stove; we give the stovetop method here.
The recipe
Ingredients
Lentil and rice porridge
Tempering
To serve
Method
- Combine the rice and mung lentils in a bowl and rinse three or four times, rubbing gently, until the water is fairly clear. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Put the rice and dal in a heavy pot with the 5 cups water, turmeric and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam that rises.
- Lower the heat, partly cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks.
- Add the vegetables and salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the dal has broken down, the rice is very soft and the vegetables are tender. Add hot water if it thickens too much.
- Mash a little against the side of the pot with your spoon to make it creamy. Taste for salt.
- For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant and a shade darker. Add the asafoetida, curry leaves and pepper and swirl for a few seconds.
- Pour the sizzling tempering over the lentil and rice porridge and stir. Serve hot with cilantro, a spoon of yogurt and lemon.
Kitchen notes
- For a thicker lentil and rice porridge, use 4 cups water; for a soupy one, use 6 cups.
- In a pressure cooker, use 4 cups water and cook for 3 to 4 whistles, or 8 minutes at high pressure in an electric cooker.
- Lentil and rice porridge thickens as it stands. Stir in hot water to loosen before serving seconds.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of water, stirring until smooth and hot all the way through.
To serve alongside
Traditionally served with plain yogurt, a crisp papad and a little pickle on the side.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
