Rajwadi Khichdi

Ingredients

• 1.25 cup rice
• 1/2 cup yellow moong dal
• 1/4 cup toor dal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 potato chopped
• 1/4 cup groundnuts
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 6 black papercorns
• 3 cardamom
• 1 star anise
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp hing /asafoetida
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 large onion sliced
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp green chilli paste
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander cumin powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup carrot chopped and parboiled
• 1/4 cup green beans chopped and parboiled
• 1/4 cup green peas parboiled
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp raisin
• as needed Hot water
• 1/2 cup spring onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
• Ghee to serve

Steps

1. Combine the rice, moong dal and toor dal and wash 3 to 4 times. Add water and soak for 15 minutes, then put in the cooker with the groundnuts and potatoes. Add turmeric, salt and four cups of water, and pressure-cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Let cool.
2. Heat the oil and ghee in a pot and put in all the whole spices. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle, then add cumin. When the cumin changes colour, add hing and curry leaves. Put in the onion and sauté until light pink, then add the ginger, garlic and green-chilli pastes and cook over medium heat for half a minute.
3. Mix in all the dry spices and chopped tomatoes thoroughly, and cook until the tomatoes soften. Mix in the carrots, green beans and peas well, then add the cashew nuts and raisins.
4. Add the khichdi with hot water as needed and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the water to your requirements, adding more if you prefer soft khichdi. Put in the spring onion and coriander leaves, then switch off the heat.
5. Serve the Rajwadi Khichdi hot with ghee. It is delicious with Gujarati kadhi, spicy mango pickle and either papad or rice papadi.