Enjoy the one-pot vegetarian comfort of rice and dal, along with vegetables, the Khichuri ( or kechuri). The recipe is inspired by the Bengali influence on Northeastern Indian cooking and is one of our house favourites.
The tapestry of hills and dragons the cuisine of Tripura draws heavily from Eastern Bengali influences and strong Chinese cooking styles. This evokes a unique aspect of cuisine evolution. Yet, most of this cuisine style is lesser known to many. The vegetarian influences are certainly minimal. Yet with the sides of fiery chutneys or stir-fries the rice dishes shine. Today we are exploring khichuri or kechuri from this cuisine.
What is khichuri?
Khichuri, kechuri or kichadi is a one-pot comforting dish made with lentils and rice. Soft cooked in consistency the recipes are usually easy to digest, mildly spiced and with a good balance of grain and bean. It is a recipe considered highly valuable in satvik and ayurvedic cuisines. It is one of the early foods introduced to children and relied on when unwell or on a diet of soft foods. There are plenty of regional variations of kichuri based on the use of vegetables, tempering, ingredients etc.
Ingredients for Tripura-style khichuri
The simpler the dish the quality of ingredients you choose to make it makes a world of difference. Here are a few ingredients that we need.
Rice: short-grain white rice is preferred in making this Tripura-style kechuri recipe. Any rice variety like Khali khasa or biran is suitable to make this recipe. Avoid glutinous rice as it is way too sticky to make this recipe. Wash and clean the rice and set aside before you start the recipe.
Dal: mung dal is the dal factor here. This is the split and polished cotyledons of green gram. To increase the fibre content you can just use split green gram too. Roasting the mung bean ensures it is aromatic.
Vegetables: Here you have a bit of flexibility predominantly the kichuri had potatoes and cauliflower. You can add more like capsicum, babycorn, bamboo shoots, seasonal soft leafy greens etc too to this mix. The end colour and flavour will depend a bit on these too.
Vegetables: Here you have a bit of flexibility predominantly the kichuri had potatoes and cauliflower. You can add more like capsicum, babycorn, bamboo shoots, seasonal soft leafy greens etc too to this mix. The end colour and flavour will depend a bit on these too.
Spices and aromatics: Though not too strong, aromatics are the ones that make this recipe comfortable. Cinnamon, bay leaf and jeera are the main spices used. Though tripura-style dishes have fiery sides to them, this comforting recipe does not use chillies, black pepper or ginger. Along with this either fresh turmeric or turmeric powder and salt are used. I won’t recommend straying a lot away from this as it loses its authenticity.
Choose your cooking method
This Tripura-style khichuri can be prepared in a pressure cooker, instant pot or an open pot method. There is not much difference between the pressure cooker version and the instant pot as it is just the difference of the settings.
Instant pot
In this method, the first set of processes are on saute. Step one in this case is the tempering to flavour the ghee. Then add the veggies and saute them well. To this add the mung dal and mix well. When the dal gets a bit golden add the rice and mix well to coat it with the flavours. Now add the water, salt and turmeric powder. Change the setting to cooking rice and cover and let it cook. When the pressure is released fluff the rice and the rice is mashed to touch.
Pressure cooker
This is not very different from the instant pot other than that you don’t have to change settings. So saute the tempering in ghee, followed by the veggies and mung dal. Once the mung dal is golden add the rice and mix well. Add the water, turmeric and salt. Pressure cook for 12 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. Fluff the rice as you open.
Open pot.
In this method, you want to ensure that you are using a pot that is heavy-bottomed as the starchy mix will get caught in a lighter vessel. The rice is cooked here as well in the absorption method. Start with the ghee and brush it around the pot. Add the aromatic spices to flavour, followed by the vegetables. Once the potatoes have formed a golden crust, add the mung dal and let that roast till aromatic. Add the rice and mix well. Now add the water. Here the water quantity is a bit more so the ratio will be 1: 3.5 to account for the evaporation factor. Mix well after adding water salt and turmeric. Slightly cover and let the mix come to a bubbling boil. Lower the heat and let the rice dal combo cook well. Stir at intervals to reduce the chances of the recipe sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once done, add a bit more ghee on top, cover and leave till serving.
Instant pot
In this method, the first set of processes are on saute. Step one in this case is the tempering to flavour the ghee. Then add the veggies and saute them well. To this add the mung dal and mix well. When the dal gets a bit golden add the rice and mix well to coat it with the flavours. Now add the water, salt and turmeric powder. Change the setting to cooking rice and cover and let it cook. When the pressure is released fluff the rice and the rice is mashed to touch.
Pressure cooker
This is not very different from the instant pot other than that you don’t have to change settings. So saute the tempering in ghee, followed by the veggies and mung dal. Once the mung dal is golden add the rice and mix well. Add the water, turmeric and salt. Pressure cook for 12 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. Fluff the rice as you open.
Open pot.
In this method, you want to ensure that you are using a pot that is heavy-bottomed as the starchy mix will get caught in a lighter vessel. The rice is cooked here as well in the absorption method. Start with the ghee and brush it around the pot. Add the aromatic spices to flavour, followed by the vegetables. Once the potatoes have formed a golden crust, add the mung dal and let that roast till aromatic. Add the rice and mix well. Now add the water. Here the water quantity is a bit more so the ratio will be 1: 3.5 to account for the evaporation factor. Mix well after adding water salt and turmeric. Slightly cover and let the mix come to a bubbling boil. Lower the heat and let the rice dal combo cook well. Stir at intervals to reduce the chances of the recipe sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once done, add a bit more ghee on top, cover and leave till serving.
Let’s make kechuri
As outlined in the cooking methods the step-by-step processes ensure that this comforting dish is not bland, but tasty.
Tempering: This is the best way to get an oil extraction of flavour that is going to coat the entire recipe. The tempering is done in ghee with cumin, cinnamon and bay leaf. Use a medium heat and do not leave at this stage as it burns easily. Once the cumin seeds sizzle the tempering is ready.
Roasting: The veggies of choice are roasted in this tempered ghee till they gain a golden touch. This seals in a bit of moisture and prevents them from becoming a mush. The mung bean is also roasted to bring in an aromatic flavour.
Cooking: once the rice is added and coated with the flavours, add water to the ratio of 1:3 to attain the soft yet separated grain consistency. However, if you prefer it much more mashable bring up the water quality to 1:3.5 or even 4. Allow the rice to absorb the water and cook slowly with added turmeric and salt.
Tempering: This is the best way to get an oil extraction of flavour that is going to coat the entire recipe. The tempering is done in ghee with cumin, cinnamon and bay leaf. Use a medium heat and do not leave at this stage as it burns easily. Once the cumin seeds sizzle the tempering is ready.
Roasting: The veggies of choice are roasted in this tempered ghee till they gain a golden touch. This seals in a bit of moisture and prevents them from becoming a mush. The mung bean is also roasted to bring in an aromatic flavour.
Cooking: once the rice is added and coated with the flavours, add water to the ratio of 1:3 to attain the soft yet separated grain consistency. However, if you prefer it much more mashable bring up the water quality to 1:3.5 or even 4. Allow the rice to absorb the water and cook slowly with added turmeric and salt.
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- Tempering
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- Adding vegetables
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- Adding mung dal
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- Adding rice
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- Add water
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- Add salt and turmeric
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- Cooked khichadi.
Finishing touches once the rice is cooked you can be assured that the veggies and mung dal are cooked too. As a final flavour, you can add a bit more ghee or coriander leaves if you like. I like just mixing it up and serving it hot.
Unlike the regular kichadi’s that are in dropping consistency, this is a slightly drier version of one-pot rice yet not at all complicated.
Unlike the regular kichadi’s that are in dropping consistency, this is a slightly drier version of one-pot rice yet not at all complicated.
What to serve with kichuri?
Kichuri is often served with ghee, papad and a bowl of yoghurt. This Tripura-style khichuri tastes fabulous with Bengun Baja (pan-roasted eggplants) and fiery tomato morsdeng.
Meal prep and lunch boxes
Kichuri certainly stays in the fridge for a couple of days. The consistency of this kechuri is not as gloopy as the regular kicharis you would have encountered. Plus there are veggies in it that can absorb the extra liquids, especially the potato. Hence it is easy to keep this recipe in your meal prep list.
For the lunch box, enjoy a side of yoghurt or tomato chutney. If you have leftovers you can easily make fritters or cutlets with them just like we did with pongal.
For the lunch box, enjoy a side of yoghurt or tomato chutney. If you have leftovers you can easily make fritters or cutlets with them just like we did with pongal.
One pot Khichuri
Rice and dal one pot recipe and easily made in an instant pot. Made in tripura style with vegetables this is a must try gluten free idea.
Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
For the base of the recipe
- 1 cup rice
- 1/4 cup Moong dal
- 3 cups Water
for the aromatic tempering
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
Vegetables
- 3 medium potato
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- 1/4 cup peas optional
Essential spices
- salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Instructions
- Wash and chop the vegetables into big chunks.
- Wash the rice and set it aside to drain well.
- Set the instant pot on saute mode.
- Add the ghee, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick let this sizzle.
- To this add the vegetables and roast well till the surfaces turn golden.
- Add the moong dal and let that roast till aromatic.
- Now add the rice and coat well with the aromatics.
- Add water, salt and turmeric powder.
- Mix well, change the mode to rice cooking and cover and cook till the desired time.
- Once the cooking is done and the pressure dropped, fluff the rice.
- The recipe is now ready to be served.
Notes
When cool, the kichadi may thicken and solidify, add more warm water to get the soft consistency.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Collaboration
The Tripura-style kichadi is heavily influenced by Bengali cuisine. While searching for recipes for the Shh cooking challenge proposed based on the state, it was a bit hard to find vegetarian recipes. So, this kechuri recipe was the ultimate comfort.
Stay connected
While exploring any cuisine, we always look for similarities that we are used to. Luckily in the Indian subcontinent, cuisine varieties and similarities are so easy. Hope you enjoy this updated post from 2019. We love making kechuri any day, especially gloomy rainy ones. When you try out this version do let us know in the comments.
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Pin this recipe for later.
Stay subscribed and see you at the next post.
Khichuri looks delicious. In bhog khichuri we don’t add onion and garlic. But this sounds different. Adding a tempering of onion garlic and tomato at the end definitely made this khichuri mouthwatering.
Khichdi is a staple dish in any part of India, its just the proportions or types of ingredients that are used that makes it taste different in every State. A healthy and comforting dish, I’ve not had khichdi with tomatoes in it. Must try it.
Such a lovely khichuri recipe from Tripura you have shared here Seema ! Looks so wholesome and healthy meal option with simple ingredients. Use of tomatoes is the key factor for the color here in the khichuri ….
Thanks for nice introduction Seems, you made very tasty and soulful recipe with shared ingredients. Khichuri looks very comfort and melt in mouth. Loved the spices you added in tempering 👌.
A healthy and a comforting dish for sure. I can enjoy this anytime of the day Seema.
Such a comfort dish and this is really tempting. Grated turmeric is a nice option and healthy too.
Khichuri looks very delicious .. always love any kind of one pot meals.
Kichuri is always comfort food and method of preparation varies from state to state. I love the spices used in this Kichuri which makes it so flavorful and delicious.
Simple comforting kichuri with a side of pickles n a salad makes this platter so inviting Seema. You are so
Right when you said the simpler thr dish the better be the ingredients to make it top notch