Kitchri recipes

[Guest guest]

Hi there!

As winter season is slowly approaching and the weather is getting a bit

cooler, I've started making kitchri again. In India they give it to

convalescents because it's not so hot and spicy and it's supposedly good for

the stomach, but we love it at all times. I keep eating and eating even when

I'm full, I just cannot stop!

 

 

KHITCHRI

(Boiled rice, pulses and vegetables)

 

There is a simple version and a more elaborate one . The elaborate one just

has more ingredients, otherwise the preparation is simplicity itself. It

comes from the Hare Krishna Book of Vegetarian Cooking. I don't know what

you think of the Hare Krishnas, to many they may seem slightly ridiculous,

but they do have wonderful restaurants and this cookbook, bought in

Calcutta, is one of the best I own.

If you substitute something else for the butter, for instance olive oil, you

make this dish vegan. Its consistency is like rice slightly overcooked,

soft, and a little moist.

 

1 cup (200g) mung dal, split-peas of whole mung beans (the small green ones)

1 1/2 cups (250g) medium- or long-grained rice (don't bother buying basmati,

its flavour will be lost in all the rest. Italian risotto rice is good, I

always use whole rice)

1/2 medium-small cauliflower, washed and separated into small flowerets

3 tbs ghee(clarified butter) or vegetable oil (I use olive oil)

2 tsp cumin seeds

4 medium-sized tomatoes, washed and quartered

2 fresh chillies, seeded and minced (I always omit these)

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp asafetida (it's a flavorful raisin. You can safely omit it if you

don't have it, no harm done!)

7 cups (1,6 liters) water

2 tsp salt

2 tsp turmeric

4 medium-sized potatoes, washed, peeled, and cubed

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter (if you're vegan, substitute with olive oil)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

 

Pick through the dal and wash it and the rice together. Let drain. If using

whole rice, better soak it for half an hour (with the pulse) before cooking,

to cut down on cooking time.

Meanwhile, wash, trim and cut the vegetables. Measure and prepare the

spices. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil and fry the cumin seeds, chillies and

ginger. After they sizzle for a minute, toss in the ground cumin and the

asafetida. After a few seconds, put in the diced potatoes and the flowerets

of cauliflower. Turn the vegetables with a spoon for 4 to 5 minutes until

they become flecked with brown spots. Now add the drained dal and rice and

stir-fry for one minute. Pour in the water. Add the salt, turmeric and

tomatoes, and bring to a full boil over high heat.

Reduce to low heat and cook with the pot partially covered for 30 to 40

minutes (if you use mung beans, cook a little more; split peas a little

less, if you use brown rice, cook for an extra 20 minutes) until the dal is

soft and fully cooked. Stir once or twice inthe beginning to prevent the

rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Finally, squeeze the lemon juice over the khitchri, put the butter on top,

and simmer over low heat until the grains have absorbed all the liquid.

Season with the pepper. Mix all the ingredients gently but quickly with a

fork.

Serve with a crisp green raw salad and a raita (yoghurt with shredded

cucumber, salt and red pepper).

 

 

Geeli khitchri (wet khitchri)

Boiled rice, dal and spinach

 

1 1/2 cups (250 g) medium- or long-grained rice

1 1/4 cups (250 g) mung dal, split-peas or whole mung beans (the small green

ones)

1/4 cup (50 g) butter or ghee (clarified butter, found in Indian or

Middle-Eastern stores)

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp chopped ginger

2 cloves

2 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

8 oz (225) fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, and finely chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

 

Wash the dal and rice, soak them for 1 hour, and let them drain. Heat the

butter or ghee in a heavy saucepan, add the bay leaves, chopped ginger, and

cloves, then add the drained rice and dal. Fry for about 8 to 10 minutes,

stirring well, until the butter has been absorbed. Stir in enough water to

cover the grains by 2 inches (5 cm). Add the salt, turmeric and nutmeg,

stir, and boil for 1 minute. Cover tightly and start to cook over medium-low

heat.

Lower the heat gradually as the grains absorb the water. Cook slowly for

about 30 minutes, checking from time to time to insure that the mixture is

always covered with a little water (If necessary, add a few tablespoons).

Then gently stir in the chopped spinach and tomatoes and cover again.

Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, or until the grains are well cooked

but the mixture is still quite moist. Mix well before serving.

 

Serve with chappati or pita or tortilla and a tomato salad or, in winter, a

carrot/cabbage salad.

 

Irene

 

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