Khichdi – How to Make It? The Traditional Ayurvedic Cleanse

khichdi is a traditional Indian food that has importance, due to its nutritional value. The word khichdi is pronounced as “kitch-ade” It is a healthy diet that is recommended to all from a child to the elder as well as the older person.

It is a delicious Indian that soothes food that’s been prepared for thousands of years. It is so simple and nutritious that it’s recommended as the first solid food for babies in the country of India.

In short, we can say it entails a unique blend of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, raw oil, vitamins, and minerals that feed the stomach and supply all the body’s nutritional needs.

In Ayurveda, khichdi is meditated to be the best food for all. It is well-advised as a cleansing food for many ailments. Ayurveda prescribes khichdi as a mono-diet that can reset the whole-body system.

khichdi is also known as a “sattvic food” which means a purely vegetarian diet that is rich in “Prana” which means a life force like organic fresh fruits and vegetables.

It is moreover, known as a “tri-doshic” food means food that can balance all the three doshas. So no matter what your imbalances are khichdi will help to stabilize them.

khichdi is so simple and very easy to make as their ingredients are always there in your kitchen or can be easily available anywhere in the market.

You’ll be surprised how easily and quickly it can be prepared. Below is the ten khichdi diet recipe for babies as well as elders.

1: Simple Rice Khichdi

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (Split green gram )Moong Dal
• 2/3 cup (short grained rice)
• 1 teaspoon Oil (optional)
• 3½ cups of Water
• 2 tablespoons of Ghee
• 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Take rice and moong dal in a small bowl and wash it thoroughly with water 4-5 times.
2. Now drain the water and put them into the cooker, add turmeric powder, oil, water, and salt. Stir it well, and taste the water for salt if required you can add more to it.
3. Close the lid of a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle on a high flame and the remaining 3 whistles on medium flame.
4. Turn off the flame and wait for 8-10 minutes so that the steam pressure comes down naturally. If you open the lid immediately, khichdi may remain uncooked.
5. Open the lid and add ghee and mix it well. So the Moong Dal Khichdiis ready for serving.

Tips and Variations:

• You can use 4 cups of water if you want khichdi to be softer and gravy-like.
• You can also use 2 tablespoons of toor dal instead of moong dal as mentioned in step1.
• For extra flavor, you can use cumin seeds, chopped garlic, and curry leaves over the cooked khichdi for variation.

2: khichdi with Brown Basmati Rice

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup mixed moong and moth daal
• 1-2 green/red chilies, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2” ginger, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, pureed (or 5 tbsp tomato puree)
• A pinch of Hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice to taste
• 2 tsp ghee

Directions:

1. Take brown rice, moon, and moth daal in a bowl Wash them thoroughly in water 3-4 times. Soak the mixture of rice and daal in 3 cups of hot water for 20 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker do not overheat or it will burn with a flame. Add cumin seeds and hing to it. When the seeds start to sputter, add chopped onion and fry the onion for a minute.
3. Next add chopped garlic, ginger, and chilies to the onions and fry properly for another 5 mins.
4. Then add the tomato puree and remaining all the spices to it. Mix it well for a minute and then add the soaked rice and daal, and add water to it.
5. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles on a low flame.
6. Turn off the flame and wait for 8-10 minutes so that the steam pressure comes down naturally. The khichdi is ready to serve.

3: Amaranth Leaves khichdi

Makes: 3 Servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Rice
• 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split)
• 100 grams of Green Amaranth Leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 2 Green Chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon of Ghee
• 1-inchch Cinnamon Stick
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. First of all, prepare all the ingredients with the required quantity and keep them aside.
2. Take the Amaranth Leaves and cut off the stems. Put the leaves in a bowl, and soak in plenty of water for a few minutes so that the dirt and grit settle down. Wash them thoroughly and chop roughly.
3. Take rice and dal wash thoroughly in water 3-4 times.
4. Take a Pressure Cooker; add dal, rice, amaranth leaves, green chilies, turmeric powder, and salt into it.
5. Now add 5 cups of water so that khichdi becomes a good mish-mash.
6. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles on high flame and cook for 2 whistles on low flame. Turn off the flame, and let the pressure of the cooker release naturally.
7. When the pressure is released, open the cooker and stir the khichdi and transfer the amaranth khichdi to the serving bowl.
8. Now it’s time for the tadka take a frying pan put ghee and heat it, add cinnamon stick, and mustard seeds, and allow it to crackle.
9. Pour it over the Amaranth khichdi and serve with Gujarati Kadhi.

4: khichdi with Buckwheat

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups buckwheat (Hutto)
• 1/2 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
• 1 cup chopped and boiled mixed vegetables (French beans, carrots, green peas, cauliflower)
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 black peppercorns
• 1 to 2 cloves
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 2 tsp green chili paste
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Take brown moong dal and buckwheat together in a bowl Wash them thoroughly in water 3-4 times, soak the mixture and keep aside.
2. Now heat the oil in a pressure cooker, and add cumin seeds, cloves, and peppercorns into it.
3. Soon as the cumin seeds crackle add asafoetida to it then a mixture of moong dal, and buckwheat adds mixed vegetables, and fry it on a medium flame for about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt, and 4 cups of water, mix it well and cook for 3 whistles.
5. So the khichdi is ready to serve, enjoy hot khichdi with kadhi or low-fat curds

5: Millet khichdi

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Foxtail Millet (Thinai / Kangni)
• 1/2 tbsp Yellow Moong dal
• 2 tbsp Carrots, diced
• 2 tbsp French beans, chopped
• 2 tbsp Peas
• 3 tbsp Onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp Tomato, chopped
• 2 Green chili, slit
• 1/4 inch piece Ginger, chopped
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp or 1 pinch of Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Curry powder
• 5 Curry leaves
• 1 pinch Asafoetida
• 1+1/2 cup Water
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Oil or ghee

Directions:

1. Take a pan put foxtail millet and dry roast for 1 – 2 mins on low flame. Remember it should be a little hot that you could touch it and then transfer it to a bowl.
2. Now take moong dal to the pan and dry roast it for 15-20 seconds and transfer it to the same bowl.
3. Take a pressure cooker ass oil put temper mustard seeds. When the mustard splutters add cumin seeds and asafetida, and let it crackle.
4. When starts crackling add onions and cook till it turns a little brownish.
5. Now add tomato, ginger, and saute for a few seconds, add chopped vegetables, peas, curry leaves, and green chilies, and mix well.
6. Add curry powder, turmeric powder, dry roasted foxtail millet, and yellow moong dal and stir it well.
7. Add water and salt mix well, close the cooker and cook for 3 whistles over a low flame.
8. Turn off the flame and wait for a few minutes so that the steam pressure comes down naturally, open the cooker and mash gently.
9. Millet khichdi is ready to eat, serve hot with more ghee drizzled on top with curd raita or pickle.

Khichdi is nutritious and complete for all ages; can be made out with varieties of mixtures like dals or lentils, vegetables, and rice. Indians generally use khichdi as the first baby food as it is easy to digest and its Ingredients are full of nutrients value. Below are some of the baby recipes that you can make at home.

1: Plain khichdi recipe

Age: 6-9 Months Baby

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Rice (cooked)
• 1 tbsp Moong dal or Tur dal
• 1 cup of Water
• 1/4 tsp Ghee
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• A pinch of Salt

Directions:

1. Take rice and dal wash it thoroughly in water 3-4 times, and soak the mixture in 1 cup of water for 1/2 an hour.
2. Take a pressure cooker put rice dal mixture into it, add a pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch of salt, and cook for 4 whistles on medium flame.
3. Once the steam pressure subsides open the cooker, and mash it until it becomes creamy and smooth.
4. Now add 1/4 tsp of ghee and mix it well again. The khichdi is ready to be served.

Note: Feed the baby when it is warm if it becomes cold it will thicken and solid. For creamier, you can add more water during cooking. Every time you feed a child prepare it fresh. If your baby has any allergic reactions consult a doctor.

2: Plain vegetable khichdi

Age: 6-9 Months Baby

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Rice
• 2 Tablespoon Toor Dal
• 2 Tablespoon Moong Dal
• 1/4 turmeric powder
• Ghee
• 1 cup Mixed chopped vegetable
• Potato
• Carrot
• French beans
• Bottle gourd (Louki)
• Peas
• Pumpkin
• Ash gourd
• Beetroot
• Beans

Note: You can add according to availability.

Directions:

1. Take rice and dal wash them properly and soak them in water for half an hour. Drain the water before using.
2. Take a pressure cooker, add ghee put Jeera, and turmeric powder, and stir a little add rice, and dal and fry them for a minute, in the end, add 3 cups of water.
3. Cook it for 1 whistle on high flame and 2 on medium flame.
4. Soon after the steam settles, mash it until the khichdi is ready to eat.

3: Mix Vegetable Khichdi

Age: 9-12 Months Baby

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal (green gram)
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• A pinch of turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• chopped coriander leaves
• 1 cup Mixed chopped vegetable
• Potato
• Carrot
• French beans
• Bottle gourd (Louki)
• Peas
• Pumpkin
• Ash gourd
• Beetroot
• Beans

Note: You can add according to availability.

Directions:

1 Take rice and dal wash it thoroughly in water 3-4 times and soak the mixture in 1 cup of water for 1/2 an hour.

2. Take a pressure to add ghee to it; put the cumin seeds till it crackles.
3. Now add rice and dal sauté a little, add vegetables and a pinch of turmeric stir it well.
4. Add water and cook it for 1 whistle on high flame and 3 whistles on low flame.
5. Soon after the steam settles, mash it until the khichdi is ready to eat.

4: khichdi with Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal)

Age: 6-12 Months Baby

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/4 cup Toor dal ( yellow lentils)
• 1 teaspoon of ghee
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric

Directions:

1. Take toor dal and rice well clean it properly till the milkiness water goes away and soak it in water for half an hour.
2. Take a cooker put dal and rice put 2 cups of water into it, add turmeric and stir well.
3. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame and let it cool down by itself.
4. Now take a pan heat the ghee, put the cumin seeds, and hing till the cumin crackles.
5. Open the cooker and pour this fried ghee over the ghee and mash the khichdi, it is ready for service.

5: Spinach khichdi

Age: 10-12 Months Baby

Ingredients

• ½ cup Rice
• ½ cup Toor dal
• 2 cups chopped Spinach
• 1 small-sized Onion
• ½ Green chili (optional)
• ½ inch Ginger
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• ½ tsp Garam masala powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp Pepper powder
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 4 cups of Water
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• Salt – as required
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• A pinch of Hing

Directions:

1. Take rice and moong dal wash them properly and soak it in warm water for 20 minutes.
2. Take a pan put ½ tsp of ghee, and fry the spinach and green chili together until it shrinks, once done switch off the flame.
3. Now grind spinach and green chili together and make a fine paste of it, keep an aside
4. Take a cooker to add ghee, add cumin seeds let it crackle. As it crackles add chopped onions, chopped ginger, and garlic and saute them until it turns golden brown.
5. Once done add spinach puree, turmeric powder, garam masala powder (if using), pepper powder, and required salt, and stir it.
6. Now add soaked rice & toor dal again stir well.
7. Add the required water and bring it to a boil and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
8. Cook 3-4 whistles on a medium flame, once the pressure is released, open the cooker and add lemon juice and mash the rice with a spoon.
9. khichdi, is ready to top it with ghee if required.

Note:

• Some spices may cause allergies to babies, it is important to see if there is a family history of allergies better avoid it until 1 year.
• Always cook rice and dal properly till it is mashed, it will be easy for digestion in babies.
• Always wash rice, dal, and vegetables properly as they may contain pesticides in them.
• Always add garlic and asafoetida it will help in digestion in babies.
• You can use it as a first baby food above 6-7 months but consult your doctor.