Khichdo (Spicy & Savoury)

Makar Sankranti /uttrayana/ maghi / Pongal all are harvest festivals and homes are full of delicious aromas of authentic festive foods. The sun has transited from the zodiac of Sagittarius(dhanu) to Capricorn(makara). The sky is dotted with pretty and colorful kites. Emerald green fields are being harvested. Every state of our nation celebrates their harvest festival in different ways.
Khichdo is prepared on Makar Sankranti in Gujarat, in households. The dish is prepared with husked wheat, peanuts, split pigeon peas (Toor dal) and lots of dry fruits. This creamy and filling delicacy tastes heavenly.
With Same Ingredients
We can prepare spicy and savory khichdos, where we will skip sugar, nuts etc. and add green chili paste, salt etc.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients:
For basic khichdo:
1 cup husked wheat
1 cup split pigeon peas (without oil)
½ cup peanuts
3 tbps chopped dry dates
2 tsp sugar
For savoury khichdo:
3 cup boiled khichdo mixture
½ cup oil
2 bay leaf
2 cloves
2 small pieces of cinnamon
1 tbsp ginger-chili paste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp carom seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp asafetida
3 chopped almonds
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander for garnish.

Method:

1. Soak husked wheat for 7-8 hours or overnight. Next day remove water and rinse with clean water twice or thrice. Soak split pigeon peas and peanuts at least 3 hours before cooking. Rinse it after its soaked.
2. Now add soaked wheat, split pigeon peas, peanuts and chopped dry dates in pressure cooker. Add 2 tsp sugar and add water until everything submerges into the water. Close the lid and pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles on a medium flame..
3. Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf, red chilies, clove and cinnamon. Once they turn aromatic, add mustard seeds and carrom seed and let them splutter. Further add chopped almonds, ginger chili pastes, turmeric and asafetida and sauté for couple of seconds on a low flame.
4. Then add pressure cooked khichdo mixture and mix well. Add water till everything submerges and mix well. Also add salt to taste.
5. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes. Then open the lid, stir and if it is still watery then cover and cook for few more minutes. Then turn of the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve.

Note:

1. If you didn’t get husked wheat, you can use broken wheat. If you use broken wheat, then soak it for 3 hours.
2. At the time of serving spicy khichda, you can top it with some peanut oil.