Mung & Brown Rice Kichari

Kichari and Chapatis

Kichari is good any time of the year.  Very easy to make, it's a one-pot hot meal that is both nutritious and delicious.  Try this recipe next time you need a quick, easy dinner to warm your family's hearts.

For those of you who are not familiar with the word "dahl," it means small beans like lentils that you can buy at Indian groceries.  Mung beans, which are available in health food stores in America, are a classic type of dahl in India, and they cook quickly.  Mung beans with or without the green skins cooks fast, so they're a great choice when you're pressed for time.

Ingredients:

1/2 c whole or split mung dahl
8 c water
1/2 c brown rice (white rice can also be used)
1 qt (4 c) vegetables of your choice, cut into small chunks (e.g., bell pepper, celery, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.)
1/2 t turmeric powder
4 t (or 1 heaping T) grated fresh ginger root
6 T unsalted butter or ghee, divided
2 t coriander powder
1/2 t methi (fenugreek) powder
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t garam masala
2 t salt (add more* if adding more veggies)
1 t mustard seeds
1 t cumin seeds
1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped small
1 sprig fresh curry leaves, if available
1/2 c chopped cilantro, if available

Wash 1/2 c split mung dahl 5 times in cold water, drain. (Whole green mung does not need so much washing--one rinse will do.) Put washed, drained dahl in a large pot that holds at least half a gallon of volume.  Add water.  Turn heat on to high.  Add:

turmeric
grated ginger
1 T unsalted butter or ghee

Stir and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat to medium.  Simmer while you prepare the rice and vegetables.

If using brown rice, wash and add now. Set your timer to 45 minutes. 

Next, prepare root vegetables.

Wash, peel and cube potatoes, carrots, turnips and other root vegetables. Root veggies as well as other veggies that require longer cooking time, like cabbage or winter squash, should be added when the timer has 25 minutes left.  Simmer for 5 minutes before adding other veggies that take less time to cook (timer should indicate 20 minutes left at this time). If using white rice, add the washed rice now.  

Add coriander powder, methi powder, paprika, garam masala and salt*.  Stir these spices in and continue simmering on low.

Three to five minutes before the timer rings to indicate that the rice is done, prepare the chaunk.

Melt the remaining 5 T unsalted butter or ghee in a small pan on low heat.  Add mustard seeds and let them warm until they start popping.  Then add cumin seeds, jalapeno, and curry leaves, if you have them.  Fry on low heat until mustard seeds finish popping, just a few seconds.  Immediately add chaunk to the kichari.  Turn off the flame and stir in half the chopped cilantro.  Sprinkle the other half of the cilantro over the top of the kichari as garnish.

Offer to Lord Krsna immediately so the cilantro stays pretty and green.

Yield: about four large helpings.

*If using more than 4 c (1 qt) of veggies, increase salt by 1/8 t for every cup of extra veggies

Note: when the cooking is finished, the kichari will appear like a chunky soup.  It will thicken up over time, but if served immediately after cooking, it should be served in bowls.

Note: if using white rice, add vegetables right after dahl starts to break up.  Add coriander powder, methi powder, paprika, and garam masala.  When vegetables are medium-soft, add the rice and salt, and continue cooking on very low heat, covered, until rice is soft--about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the kind of white rice you use.

Serving suggestions: Can be served with a dollop of plain homemade yogurt or a drizzle of fresh ghee on top.  In summertime, a cool raita as a side dish offers a nice contrast to the warm kichari.  In wintertime, a bowl of steaming hot karhi along with kichari takes the chill off and creates a hearty meal.  Hot puris right off the stove are always a delicious accompaniment to kichari as well.