Rice and chana dal slow-cooked with whole spices into a hearty one-pot meal — the everyday khichdi of Jharkhand, heartier than other regional versions.
Ingredients
1 cup rice
1/2 cup chana dal — soaked 1 hour
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves — crushed
1 green chilli — whole
1/4 tsp turmeric
4 cups water
Salt to taste
For serving: raw sliced onion, green chilli, ghee and lemon
Method
Add soaked drained chana dal. Toss in the ghee 2 minutes.
Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add cumin — sizzle. Add bay leaves, crushed garlic and whole green chilli. Fry 30 seconds.
Add washed rice and turmeric. Toss together.
Add 4 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil.
For pressure cooker: cover and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
Rest 10 minutes before opening.
For open pot: cover and simmer on medium-low for 25 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally until both rice and dal are completely soft and merged into a cohesive porridge-like consistency.
Mash lightly. Add a generous knob of ghee.
Serve in bowls topped with extra ghee. Accompany with raw sliced onion, green chilli and lemon.