Palak Khichdi Recipe` Indian Main Course` One dish meal by Tarla Dalal

Preparation Time: 20 minutes.

Cooking Time: 23 minutes.

Serves 4.

Soaking time: 30 minutes.

2 cups rough chopped spinach (palak)

½ cup long grained rice (basmati)

¼ cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)

½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

Salt to taste

3 tbsp ghee

2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste

½ tsp ginger (adrak) paste

¼ cup finely chopped onions

½ cup finely chopped tomatoes

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala

1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)

2 cloves (laung / lavang)

1 cardamom (elaichi)

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

6 curry leaves (kadi patta)

1 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli, broken into pieces

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)

1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies

For serving

Fresh curds (dahi)

Papad

1. Combine the rice and dal in a deep bowl and soak it in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain well. Keep aside.

2. Drain well, combine the rice, dal, turmeric powder, salt and 1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

3. Combine the spinach and 2 tbsp of water in a mixer and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

4. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside.

5. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

6. Add the onions and tomatoes and sauté on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

7. Add the spinach purée, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

8. Add the cooked dal-rice mixture, 1½ cups of water and salt and, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.

9. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee in a small non-stick pan, add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds , curry leaves, Kashmiri dry red chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

10. Add the garlic and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

11. Pour the tempering over the palak khichdi and mix well. Serve hot with fresh curds and papad.