Moong dal palak khichdi is a nutritious dish made with moong dal, rice, spinach and spices. It is a vegan dish and makes a perfect comforting weekday meal with raita and pickle.
Khichdi is one of the most preferred dishes to give to someone recovering from illness, as it is light on the stomach and easily digestible. Plain dal khichdi prepared without any spices is considered an ideal first food to introduce to babies.
This is one of the quickest and easiest dishes to prepare when you are exhausted after a long day at work or on lazy days when you want just a simple and wholesome meal.
Ingredients
- Rice and Lentils: I have used sona masoori rice here. But basmati, ponni, brown rice or any short-grained rice works equally well. Water quantity might vary depending on the type of rice you use. Moong dal (yellow lentils) has been used here.
- Dry and Whole Spices: Cumin seeds, red chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida (hing), coriander powder and cumin powder are the essential spices used to make spinach moong dal khichdi.
- Vegetables: Onion, tomato, garlic, ginger and fresh spinach.
- Liquids: I’ve used water to cook khichdi. Vegetable stock can be used as well. Olive oil has been used to saute vegetables and spices. But feel free to use any cooking oil that you use regularly in your kitchen.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Rinse and wash the lentil and rice with cold water 3-4 times. Soak them in sufficient water for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Drain the water from the soaked rice and lentils, transfer them to a steel container and add water.
Step 3: Add a glass of water to the bottom of the pressure cooker.
Step 4: Place a trivet and place the steel container with dal and rice.
Step 5: Secure the cooker with a lid and cook over medium heat for 3 whistles.
Step 6: Switch the heat off and let the pressure release manually.
Step 7: Once the knob next to the whistle drops down, remove the whistle and open the cooker lid.
Step 8: Heat oil in a wide steel pan over medium-high heat.
Step 9: Saute cumin, red chillies, asafoetida until aromatic and cumin starts sizzling.
Step 10: Now add onion, ginger, garlic and cook until onion turns soft and translucent.
Step 11: Add spices, salt, tomato and cook until raw aroma vanishes and tomato softens.
Step 12: Now add chopped spinach and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until it starts to wilt.
Step 13: Finally, add cooked rice and lentil, mix well until everything is well combined.
Step 14: Simmer for 3-4 minutes and switch the heat off once it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 15: Enjoy delicious moong dal palak khichdi with onion raita and ginger pickle or tomato pickle.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten Free Khichdi: Use gluten-free asafoetida or just skip it.
Vegetables: For extra nutrition, add vegetables such as carrot, beans, potato, peas, cabbage or corn. It is a great way to make kids eat vegetables without any fuss.
Storage
Transfer leftover khichdi to a clean airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat the desired portion in a heatproof bowl in the microwave until piping hot when you are ready to serve.
Tips and Tricks
Consistency: Generally, khichdi must be of porridge consistency. But you can add more water to get a thinner consistency and cut down on water while cooking rice and lentils in the cooker to get a thicker consistency.
Spices: Adjust spices to suit your taste.
Rice: I’ve used sona masoori rice. Any rice varieties – basmati, ponni, long grain, brown rice work just fine. You may have to adjust the water, though.
Water: Add hot water while combining cooked rice and lentils with vegetables, if you feel the mixture isn’t reaching the porridge consistency.
Related
Looking for other rice recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with moong dal palak khichdi:
KEEP IN TOUCH
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Moong Dal Palak Khichdi
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- ½ Cup Sona Masoori Rice
- ½ Cup Moong Dal/Small Yellow Lentils
- 3 Cups Water adjust to get right consistency
- 2 Teaspoons Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 Dried Red Chillies break into 2-3 pieces
- Big pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
- 1 Small (or) ½ Cup Onion
- ½ Teaspoon Ginger peel and chop finely
- 1 Clove Garlic peel and chop finely
- 1 Small (or) ½ Cup Tomato wash and chop
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- Salt as required
- 100 gms Spinach wash and chop
Instructions
- Rinse and wash the lentil and rice with cold water 3-4 times. Soak them in sufficient water for 20 minutes.½ Cup Sona Masoori Rice, ½ Cup Moong Dal/Small Yellow Lentils
- Drain the water from the soaked rice and lentils, transfer them to a steel container and add 3 cups of water.3 Cups Water
- Add a glass of water to the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Place a trivet and place the steel container with dal and rice.
- Secure the cooker with a lid and cook over medium heat for 3 whistles.
- Switch the heat off and let the pressure release manually.
- Once the knob next to the whistle drops down, remove the whistle and open the cooker lid.
- Heat oil in a wide steel pan over medium-high heat.2 Teaspoons Oil
- Saute cumin, red chillies, asafoetida until aromatic and cumin starts sizzling.1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, 1 Dried Red Chillies, Big pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
- Now add onion, ginger, garlic and cook until onion turns soft and translucent.1 Small (or) ½ Cup Onion, ½ Teaspoon Ginger, 1 Clove Garlic
- Add turmeric poowder, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, salt, tomato and cook until raw aroma vanishes and tomato softens.1 Small (or) ½ Cup Tomato, ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder, ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder, Salt
- Now add chopped spinach and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until it starts to wilt.100 gms Spinach
- Finally, add cooked rice and lentil, mix well until everything is well combined.
- Simmer for 3-4 minutes and switch the heat off once it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
