(Broken/cracked wheat cooked with Indian spices, and veggies).

How do we feel after a festive/wedding season or an extended vacation? We tend to eat so much greasy/oily food, followed by so wide varieties of sweets. We travel and try out different cuisines…it sure feels like heaven to our palate, isn’t it? However, after a few days of eating such food, what do we crave the most? Simple home-cooked food! Our comfort food! And which is the best-known Indian comfort food? KHICHADI!!

There are many varieties of khichadi. Khichadi can be made using rice- lentils, sago pearls, jowar, bajra, or broken wheat(dalia). Today I share this simple nutritious khichadi recipe, made using broken wheat/dalia.

Dalia is rich in fiber and especially good for diabetic patients. Broken wheat contains fewer carbohydrates than rice; thus, this is a great weight-loss recipe. It is very light on the stomach and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Make this one-pot meal and serve it with plain curd/raita, pickle, and some papad.

Ingredients

• 1 cup broken wheat(dalia)

• 3 tbsp clarified butter (sudh desi ghee)

• 1 tsp mustard seeds ( barik rai)

• 5-6 garlic cloves minced (lasun)

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)

• 1/2 tsp red chili powder (lal tikha powder)

• 7-8 curry leaves (kadhipatta)

• 1 onion chopped (pyaaz)

• 1 carrot diced (gajar)

• 1/4 cup peas (matar)

• 1 medium tomato chopped

• 1/4 cup peanuts (singdana)

• 2 tbsp corn kernels

• 1tsp garam masala

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 3 cups water

• salt as per taste

• coriander leaves finely chopped
  

Method

• In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp of ghee on medium flame. Once the ghee gets hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute.

• Add onion and sauté till the onion is cooked and becomes translucent.

• Add curry leaves, diced carrots, peas, corn, and peanuts. Mix well.

• Add haldi, red chili powder, and tomatoes. Cook on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

• Add dalia, 1 tbsp of ghee, and garam masala.Mix everything well.

• Add water, and chopped coriander leaves, and give it a stir.

• Put the lid of the pressure cooker on and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

• Once the pressure settles down, open the lid. Add lemon juice and gently mix it with the khichadi.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.

DALIA KHICHADI IS READY TO BE SERVED.

SERVE HOT.

Notes -

• To make this kid/patient-friendly, skip adding garam masala. Add very little red chili powder.

• This khichadi can be made without using veggies too. Just use onion, and tomatoes if you want to skip the other veggies.

• Making this khichadi with clarified butter gives this an authentic taste. If you don’t have ghee or you are a vegan, use groundnut oil instead.

• You add veggies of your choice. This dish is totally customizable.

• The consistency of this khichadi can be according to your preference too. You can add more water if you want thin consistency.