Wild Rice & Red Lentil Khichdi
I feel the most like myself when I’m hosting a dinner party. My perfect Saturday evening is having a few friends over, catching up while I cook, and at the end of it, sharing a good meal together. My parents are fabulous hosts and growing up, we would either be hosting or going to a family friends’s home for a dinner party at least once a month. It feels like being a grown up: a relaxed meal and a late night in the living room with your friends. Planning a meal is also part of the fun. Flipping through food magazines, going through my catalog of restaurant meals that have inspired me lately, or finding something in one of my cookbooks is so exciting and full of possibility. And yet, every single time, my husband I will say, “that was a good meal but why don’t you ever make the stuff we eat on weeknights for guests? The people need to know!” Well, this khichdi recipe is for my husband. It’s not the pièce de résistance I want at my dinner parties but it’s one of our favorite things to eat on a weeknight.
Khichdi is a catch-all term word for a one-pot rice and lentil dish. The ratios and types of rice and lentils people use vary by region and by occasion. As a rice and lentil-forward culture, there are various such dishes like pulaos and biryanis in Indian cooking but what’s distinctive about khichdi is the consistency. It’s looser (or goopier, which is my technical term) and closer to a risotto than a pilaf. It’s one of my ultimate comfort foods - after a long week of travel or stressful week of work, I want a bowl of khichdi, a crispy piece of salmon, and some roasted broccoli. Unless I’m eating something my mom has made me, this is my go-to comfort food.
I’ve made khichdi with basmati rice, jasmine rice, regular short-grain rice, brown rice, french lentils, yellow lentils, mung beans, and more. Generally, I aim to pick a type of rice and lentils with similar cook times but in this case, I went to wild rice and red lentils. Red lentils cook much faster than wild rice but this works anyway because you can never really “overcook” red lentils. If you do want the wild rice to cook a little quicker, just soak it in hot water for 20-30 mins before you begin cooking. My khichdi, which is in no way canonical, is seasoned with turmeric, tomatoes, garlic cloves, a Serrano chile, salt and pepper. I finish with ghee, mint leaves, lime juice, and a light sprinkle of garam masala. It’s simple but feels decadent
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup wild rice
3/4 cup red lentils
2.5 cups boiling water (2 times the amount of rice and lentils combined)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 plum tomato, quartered
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Serrano chile, thinly sliced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp ghee
Handful of mint leaves
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp garam masala
Method
Heat a pot over medium heat. Add the dry wild rice and red lentils to the pot and toast, moving frequently, for 3-4 mins. It will begin to smell toasted and some kernels will be browned.
Now add the turmeric, curry powder, tomato, garlic, chile, salt and pepper. Toss in the pot for 30 seconds. Add the boiling water, mix well, and place the lid on the pot. Set a timer for 25 mins and let the khichdi cook.
Then check the pot - if the lentils and rice are underdone, add a 1/4 cup of water and let it for for another 5-10 mins. If it’s done to your liking, turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 mins. The consistency should be loose, like risotto. Before serving, add the ghee, mint, lime juice, and garam masala and mix well. Serve!
