Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe

Moong dal khichdi is a healthy Indian khichdi recipe prepared with just yellow split gram and rice. This healthy khichdi has minimum Indian spices making it easy on stomach. As like many other Indian dishes, moong dal khichdi has different variations as you travel across length and breadth of India.

According to ayurveda, moong is one lentil which is recommended for balancing all three doshas (kapha, pitta & vata). even plain mung dal khichdi sans any seasoning or spices is consumed as part of a detox diet.

Ingredients

•  1/2 cup moong dal (split and husked mung lentils)
•  1/2 cup rice - you can add any rice, regular short or medium grained rice or even basmati
•  1 small to medium sized onion - finely chopped
•  1 medium sized tomato - chopped
•  1/2 inch ginger - finely chopped or grated
•  1 small green mirch - chopped
•  1 teaspoon cumin seeds
•  1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
•  1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
•  3.5 cups water - for a more thin consistency, add 4 to 4.5 cups water
•  1.5 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
•  salt as required

Direction

Preparation

1.  rinse and wash moong lentils and rice together.
2.  soak both of them for 30 minutes in water.

Making Khichdi

1.  heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in pressure cooker. add cumin. when cumin splutters then add onions.
2.  saute onions till translucent. no need to make onions light brown or golden brown.
3.  once the onions become translucent, then add tomatoes, green chilli and ginger.
4.  stir and add turmeric powder and asafoetida. saute till the tomatoes softens.
5.  drain the rice and moong lentils and add them to the pressure cooker.
6.  stir for a minute. pour with water and season with salt.

Cooking Khichdi

1.  close the lid tightly and pressure cook on a high flame for 6-7 whistles.
2.  if it becomes too thick, then add some water and stir well.
3.  keep on sim or low flame to simmer till you get the right consistency.
4.  the consistency of khichdi can be adjusted as per your choice by adding less or more water. some people prefer thick and some thin consistency.
5.  once it is cooked then top it with ghee while serving. optional step.
6.  serve moong dal khichdi hot with curd (yogurt) and accompanying salad.

Benefits Of Moong Dal Khichdi

Khichdi is good for your health. It is not just a mixture of rice and lentils but the source of carbohydrates, vitamins Calcium, dietary fibres, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. You can add different vegetables, enhance its nutritional values and taste.

Cumin used in khichdi aids in digestion by increasing the activity of digestive enzymes in the body. This spice also releases bile from the liver, which helps in the digestion of fats and certain nutrients in the gut. Furthermore, consumption of khichadi helps detoxify the system which keeps the digestive system in order and helps promote weight loss.

People trying to avoid gluten can go for Khichdi, since rice does not have any gluten in it neither do lentils.Here’s how you can make Moong Daal Khichdi - It is nothing but a pot meal of rice and lentils, which is very light and easy to digest.

Lentils used in khichadi can significantly reduce blood sugar levels. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Nutrition stated that replacing half of your portion with lentils can lower your blood glucose levels by more than 20 percent and improve your body’s response to carbohydrates, benefiting people with diabetes.

Freshly prepared khichdi is usually eaten with clarified butter (pure cow’s ghee), which is a great source of macro-nutrients, protein, complex carbohydrates, and fat. Research shows ghee is the healthiest source of edible fat that promotes longevity, strengthens the brain and nervous system and lubricates the connective tissues and joints. If you were to add vegetables to it, it would further add to the nutritional component.