Kichri & Kadhi

My entire family grew up eating this, probably grew off it too be honest! Utterly comforting, filling, nourishing and whilst simple, requires no sacrifice on flavour, enjoyment or comfort. Eat how you like, but our way is lashings of butter in the kichri, heaped into a bowl with a crater for the khadi in the middle or on the side!

Easily vegan (just skip or replace butter with oil, but less), and replace the yoghurt with natural unsweetened plant based yoghurt (Coyo works well as a substitute I usually find)

 

Kichri

Serves 4-6

 

200g white basmati rice

150g split green mung beans (with the skins)

Water

Salt

Butter or a little cold-pressed rapeseed oil (optional)

 

  1. Soak the mung beans in plenty of cold water for about 2 hours. Once ready, drain and rinse well.

  2. Place in a saucepan with 375ml water and bring to a boil, partly covered and simmer for 10 minutes. 

  3. Add the rice and 500ml water, mix, cover and simmer until the rice is cooked. 

  4. Now mix to break up the rice a little to make it gloopy. Adjust the consistency to your liking of thickness and gloopiness by mixing it and adding water (and butter if you like, which is my preference). Season to taste with salt! And serve hot with khadi.

 

Khadi

Serves 4-6

 

Green paste:

4 cloves garlic

1 green chilli (use the seeds or not depending on how hot you want it)

1 thumb sized piece of ginger

The stalks of a small handful of coriander

 

250g yoghurt (any kind really, but I use organic, full fat natural yoghurt)

375mls water

1 TBSP gram flour

1 TBSP cold-pressed rapeseed or regular vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

A few curry leaves

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Lime juice and salt to taste

 

  1. Make the green paste: peel the garlic and ginger, roughly chop along with the chilli and coriander and blend to a paste in a food processor.

  2. Whisk the flour to a smooth paste with a little of the water, then whisk in the yoghurt and remaining water.

  3. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they just start to pop add the green paste, turmeric, curry leaves mix through well, cooking on a medium heat for a few minutes.

  4. Lastly add the whisked yoghurt mixture and mix it all thoroughly and bring to a gentle simmer and allow it to thicken slightly.

  5. Season to taste with salt and lime juice.