Kichadi

Kichadi

Kichadi

Veg

A mild, cooling sadya side of finely diced cucumber, raw banana, or beetroot in a lightly spiced coconut-yoghurt sauce, tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Positioned toward the end of the banana leaf, kichadi provides a cooling, creamy pause between the bold sadya flavours.

Cuisines

Travancore Kerala

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

basmati rice 1 cup Basmati rice
Moong Dal 1 cup Moong Dal
ghee 1 tablespoon Ghee
Onion 1 Onion , finely chopped
Green Chili 1 Green Chili , slit
Mustard Seed 1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
Cumin 1 teaspoon Cumin , seeds
asafoetida 1 pinch Asafoetida
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
Coconut 1 cup Coconut , grated
Yogurt 1 cup Yogurt
Curry Leaf 1 sprig Curry Leaf
salt 1 Salt , to taste
water 3 cups Water

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the basmati rice and moong dal together and soak them in water for 20 minutes.
  2. 2 Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
  3. 3 Add the chopped onion and green chili, sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
  4. 4 Drain the soaked rice and dal, and add them to the pan. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
  5. 5 Add turmeric powder and salt, mix well.
  6. 6 Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  7. 7 Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook until the rice and dal are soft and the water is absorbed.
  8. 8 In a separate bowl, mix the grated coconut with yogurt to form a smooth paste.
  9. 9 Once the rice and dal mixture is cooked, add the coconut-yogurt paste and mix gently.
  10. 10 Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
  11. 11 Serve hot with a garnish of fresh curry leaves.

Tips

For a richer taste, you can add a tablespoon of cashew nuts fried in ghee as a garnish.