Khichdi ~ Comfort Food!

The computer was out of form for a week and worse part was, the pictures were not on my laptop. Not that I cooked anything new during this time. But then I generally felt so disconnected that I literally wanted to shout out loud. I made frequent visits to my brother's home to check the updates and then rush back home. Surprisingly since the time Konda started having her holidays, the kids seem to be sleeping late. I really wonder if the little ones also know its their sister's vacation. Normally in a typical day, the boys are up by 6.30, making it tough for me to do anything else. But the last two days, they are getting up only at 7.30, which actually gives me time to catch my breath!

I know its been a while since I updated on my boys progress. Peddu can actually sing the alphabet song. While Chinnu dodges on that. Chinnu seems to be little slow on getting the words out. But no hurry, he can catch later, I feel. He has that adorable way of saying "Amma", I simply love hearing him say that. Yeah he is making up for all the time I felt for Konda never calling me that! Previously when it was their bedtime, we had to do so many things to actually get them to room, these days when I say I am going to tell Stories, they happily come running in. Then from then on it becomes even tough as I have to keep railing stories after stories. Guess its time I update myself with some stuff!

While I haven't been cooking much fancy offlate, I did prepare this Khichdi. Kichdi always holds very fond memories of childhood. This is actually the first time that I am making it at home. The first time I ate this wonderful dish, was when we had gone on a picnic with Dad's colleague and his new bride. Yeah I had already wrote about them. I can still remember that awesome taste that Aunty had rendered to that dish. Amma never made kichidi at home, somehow we never got around making it. The other times I remember eating this has been from our office cook, who makes it extremely well too.The Khichdi that I made with Bansi Rava was my first attempt. I wanted to make with the regular rava along with all the veggies. Since it was to be a dinner for hubby dear and Athamma, I thought I would just make for them. I couldn't but taste and yes it came out well. Its a comfort food at the best. And a dish that can be done in a jiffy!

Method to prepare:

• Heat a pan with 1 tsp of ghee, roast the rava till it starts getting well roasted. Remove and keep aside.
• Chop all vegetables and keep aside.
• Heat the same pan with the oil. Temper with Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal, Channa Dal and Cashew Nuts along with curry leaves. Then add the cloves and cinnamon.
• After a minute, add the onions and sauté till they are pink. The onions should not be browned for upma or Khichdi. Then add all the chopped vegetables along with tomatoes, chopped coriander. You need not get the tomatoes mushy.
• Fry well, simmer for 5 mins with a lid covered. This way the vegetables will get soft. Then add the water, salt. Bring to boil in high. Then simmer again with a lid covered for 5 mins. If you want your kichidi to be gooey, you can add 3 cups, else you can do away with 2 and half cups of water.
• Once the water comes to boiling, slowly add the roasted rava, making sure it doesn't get lumps. Mix well, sprinkle the remaining ghee over it and cook it covered for 5 mins.

Total time taken for making this is just under 20 mins. Makes a great dish for times when you are in a need to cook something good with loads of veggies in it!

Don't forget to check out the Gooseberry Rice at my Spice your Life Blog!

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Khichdi

Course Breakfast, Dinner

By Diet Vegetarian

Dish Type Upma Varieties

Author Srivalli

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rava / Semolina
• 1 cup Chopped Vegetables (Beans, Carrot, Potatoes, Peas)
• 1 big Onions
• 1 small Tomatoes
• 3 long Green Chillies
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 Cloves
• 2 inch Cinnamon
• Curry Leaves few
• Coriander Leaves few
• Salt to taste
• 3 tsp Ghee
• 2 tsp Cooking Oil
• 3 cups Water

Tempering

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• 1 tsp Chana Dal
• Cashew nuts as per wish

Instructions

• Heat a pan with 1 tsp of ghee, roast the rava till it starts getting well roasted. Remove and keep aside.
• Chop all vegetables and keep aside.
• Heat the same pan with the oil. Temper with Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal, Channa Dal and Cashew Nuts along with curry leaves. Then add the cloves and cinnamon.
• After a minute, add the onions and sauté till they are pink. The onions should not be browned for upma or Khichdi. Then add all the chopped vegetables along with tomatoes, chopped coriander. You need not get the tomatoes mushy.
• Fry well, simmer for 5 mins with a lid covered. This way the vegetables will get soft. Then add the water, salt. Bring to boil in high. Then simmer again with a lid covered for 5 mins. If you want your kichidi to be gooey, you can add 3 cups, else you can do away with 2 and half cups of water.
• Once the water comes to boiling, slowly add the roasted rava, making sure it doesn't get lumps. Mix well, sprinkle the remaining ghee over it and cook it covered for 5 mins.

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