Brown Rice Khichidi

One day, we went to a Thai restaurant and they served red curry with brown rice. It was very filling yet light. We were not feeling it too heavy or drowsy as we generally feel with an Indian restaurant food. We then saw on net about brown rice Vs white rice and to our surprise, we realized that white rice has about one fourth of fiber as compared to brown rice. White rice is chemically processed and they do add talc or glucose as a whitening or polishing agent. Eating white rice is ok, if we cook it in a right way (refer to my earlier post about Cooking rice the healthy way). But I feel, once in a while we have to include brown rice in our diet.

So we started cooking brown rice but I couldn't enjoy brown rice with south Indian chutneys and rasam. I seriously wanted to have white rice but my husband was enjoying it. I then thought probably, my taste buds weren't accepting it and I thought this happens with many of them, thats why many hesitate to buy brown rice. Then I started experimenting to make this rice tastier and see with what dishes it goes well.

I tried many dishes and came to know that it goes well with dal makhani, tadka dal, thai green curry and when cooked  as mixed vegetable rice or khichidi. 

Now I am going to share the recipe for Brown Rice Khichidi. There are many ways to cook khichidi but the basic premise is cooking rice with lentils. Simple and authentic :) 

The spices are added according to my families taste, you can always modify it as per your taste.

Brown rice Basmati - 1 cup

 mung dal - 1/2 cup ( I used whole green mung dal)

Ginger chopped - 2 tsp

green chillies - 3 to 4

Onions thinly sliced - 1 

Crushed Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Clove - 3

cardamom  and cinnamon - 1 each

Bay leaf - 1

curry leaves - 1 sprig

turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Crushed cumin - 2 to 3 tsp

oil/ghee - 1 Tbsp

salt - to taste

Wash rice and soak at least for 15 minutes. Meanwhile You can be ready with all the ingredients.

- In a pressure cooker, Add 1 tbsp oil and add crushed cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and  bay leaf. - Saute for a minute and add turmeric, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and onions. Wait till onions become translucent.

- Add rice and dal, fry for a minute mixing all the masalas evenly and add 3 cups of water to it.( remember this khichidi must be very soft, you can add 1/2 cup of water more to it)

- finally add crushed pepper, salt and coriander leaves and close the lid. Wait till 3 whistles. turn off and serve hot.

Goes well with tadka dal or raitha.