Ask any Indian what their top five most favorite comfort foods are, and I am pretty sure Khichdi makes most lists. What is it about that rich, onctuous creamy consistency that just warms the insides, and brightens up the foggiest rainiest days? When I feel a little under the weather, with runny nose, sniffles, itchy throat, fever (you know… all the F*%ING COVID symptoms) my craving for this comfort dish pretty much quadruples. Give me a Khichdi made from rice and moong daal, with a generous splotch of Mango Achaar on the side, and an obscenely gigantic dollop of Amul Butter, running rivulets all over my bowl, and my day instantly gets a whole lot better. Needless to say, lot’s of Khichdi was made in my kitchen over the last couple years. Lot's more down days than good ones, wouldn't you agree?
Khichdi has been around India for longer than anyone can remember. Khichdi is hugely popular in the north of India. In several cultures, Khichdi is considered to be the first solid food a child eats, and it quite possibly may have been mine. Maybe that’s why this dish is the ultimate comfort food for most of us. It’s rice and lentils, but often made with other grains as well like sorghum and millet. This information came in extremely handy during my most recent assignment.
I sometimes think I have the best job in the world. As a consultant chef, I get to design Indian menu offerings for many company employee dining programs. On a recent project, I was charged with featuring recipes that focus on seasonal local vegetables and healthy whole grains on the menu. My mind immediately went in the direction of Khichdi. Khichdi has to spend a time simmering on slow flame to cause the grain and lentils to break down and yield its yummy goodness. It made me think, what if we were to substitute the rice component for some healthy whole grains. And thus was born a new dish that has become by far, the favorite part of my lunch. Khichdi made from a combination of Farro, Pearl Barley, Chana Daal and Moong Daal Chilka (Chilka refers to a split lentil with the skin still on). Usually I am not a big fan of farro because it's often made too chewy, and I don't like barley because of the slimy mouthfeel. But in the Khichdi, it all broke down and came together into one gooey, rich mess that was warmly comforting. It almost didn’t need the Tadka. But come on!!! Do you honestly think I’m going to allow a Khichdi to leave my kitchen without a kick ass Tadka. Not happening. Not in this lifetime.
I chose to go with a very simple Tadka of mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida, followed by curry leaves and chopped ginger. This is almost as basic as a Tadka can get. I chose mustard oil over the traditional ghee, as I wanted to keep the dish vegan. I did miss the flavor of ghee, but honestly, the mustard oil held up real well. It brought a different smoky complexity to the dish, which I really liked. But here’s the best part!! People were eating healthy whole grains without realizing it. And that made me so happy. A chef I worked with in the past once told me this. She said, “It doesn’t matter how good something is for you. People aren’t going to eat it if you can’t make it taste good.” Truer words were never spoken, right?
And it was so good, I could eat this dish all day. Well… actually I did. Being a chef, I have unlimited access to tasting spoons. And all day long, there was this giant cauldron of Whole Grain Khichdi, just begging to be picked at.
Maybe it’s a good idea to skip dinner tonight.
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