Rice Kitchadi

My mother-in-law seemed to have learnt this dish from someone long long ago. Since then eating rice Kitchadi as Sunday breakfast had been a custom in my in-law's home. I was christened into the family kitchen by learning this everyone’s-favorite dish ;) It was heavy on spice and grease for me but I got used to it and now am also a part of Kitchadi loving family. 

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice – 1 cup

2. Tur dal – 1/3 cup

3. Turmeric powder - 2 pinches

4. Salt as required

5. Oil - 3 spoon

6. Ghee – 1 spoon

7. Fennel seeds – 1 spoon

8. Cinnamon - 1 “

9. Cardamom – 2

10. Cloves – 3

11. Bay leaf – 1

12. Tomato – 3

13. Onion – 3

14. Ginger – 3 “

15. Green chillies – 3

16. Garlic – 1 big pod

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak rice and dal with slightly more water than required so that it cooks slightly mushy. Add to it salt and turmeric powder.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan and temper with fennel seeds and other dry spices.

Step 3: Add onions, green chillies, ginger, tomato and sauté for few minutes.

 Step 4: Mix this to the soaked rice & dal with enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Step 5: Peel garlic cloves and roast them till brown in oil & ghee mix. 

Step 6: Stir in this with cooked Kitchadi and serve with plain thick curds.

Besan Ka Puda

Chickpea flour is very rich in protein and in north I’ve heard people feeding this to babies that start eating solids. In the paying guest accommodation I stayed in, they used to prepare bread omelettes for breakfast and during those days vegetarians were served besan ka puda to replace the omelettes. I had it for the first time and was cool, huh.

Ingredients:

1. Bengal gram flour or besan – 1 cup
2. Potato grated – ½ cup
3. Onion chopped – ½ cup
4. Garam masala – 1 tsp
5. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Salt
7. Oil

Method:

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients except oil with water and make a thin dough
Step 2: Heat tawa and apply oil on it generously
Step 3: Now pour a ladle of dough on to the tawa and spread by rotating the tawa
Step 4: Roast it on low flame till done and toss it to cook other side similarly; sprinkle some more oil if required.
Step 5: Serve by sandwiching inside two raw bread slices or toasted ones
Step 6: Green chutney is a great combination with besan ka puda if had separately or even with bread, you can apply chutney on one side of bread.

Shikanji

Shikanji is nothing but a north Indian version of lemonade. None can resist having a tall glass of chilled shikanji on a hot summer day but even otherwise will you? I learnt this version from my roommate, Nidhi a friend as cool as lemonade itself. I may get addicted to it after tasting once.

Ingredients:

1. Lemon – 1
2. Sugar – 1 1/2 tbsp
3. Black salt  – 1 pinch
4. Ice cubes – 4
5. Water - 1 glass

Method:

Step 1: In ¼ glass of water dissolve sugar completely and then mix black salt to it.
Step 2: Now squeeze lemon juice into it
Step 3: Add water to fill the glass
Step 4: Serve with excess ice cubes