Every year on January 14, our country celebrates Makar Sankranti. The festival marks the beginning of the harvest season, finally bringing the chilly winter to an end. Celebrations include flying kites, dancing, singing and visiting colourful melas (fairs). But the most important element in Makar Sankranti celebrations is the tasty treats that we binge on! For most of us, khichdi holds a special place in the menu today. So on this special occasion, we bring you three delicious and easy khichdi recipes that are a must-try:
Masoor Dal Khichdi
Made with red lentils, Masoor Dal Khichdi is loaded with protein and fibre. What makes it special is how light and easy to digest this dish is. Here’s a recipe by Sinfully Spicy that you can try today
Ingredients: 1 cup split red lentils lal masoor dal, 3/4th cup short grain rice, 2 tablespoons ghee, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1/4th teaspoon hing powder, 2-4 black peppercorns or a pinch of black pepper powder, 1/3rd cup finely chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 4-5 cup water
Method: Rinse the dal and rice at least three times. Shift it to a bowl and pour 3 cups of water, letting it soak for 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker, heat the ghee. Add hing, ginger, peppercorns and saute them with the ghee. Add onions and cook them till they are light brown. Add the soaked dal and rice along with the water. On top, sprinkle the turmeric and salt before pouring another cup of water. Close the lid of the cooker and set the temperature of the stove on medium. Turn it off after 2-3 whistles. To add tadka to your khichdi, heat ghee in a small saucepan along with garlic and cumin seeds. When it begins to crackle, add red chilli powder and transfer the concoction to your cooker. Serve hot!
Sabudana Khichdi
{{/usCountry}}Method: Rinse the dal and rice at least three times. Shift it to a bowl and pour 3 cups of water, letting it soak for 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker, heat the ghee. Add hing, ginger, peppercorns and saute them with the ghee. Add onions and cook them till they are light brown. Add the soaked dal and rice along with the water. On top, sprinkle the turmeric and salt before pouring another cup of water. Close the lid of the cooker and set the temperature of the stove on medium. Turn it off after 2-3 whistles. To add tadka to your khichdi, heat ghee in a small saucepan along with garlic and cumin seeds. When it begins to crackle, add red chilli powder and transfer the concoction to your cooker. Serve hot!
Sabudana Khichdi
{{/usCountry}}Another khichdi you can try today is Sabudana Khichdi. Tapioca pearls are full of calcium, magnesium, and iron. But that’s not all! Due to a high content of antioxidants, sabudana helps in improving the quality of hair and also slows down signs of ageing. Enjoy this easy recipe by Swasthi's Recipes
Ingredients: 1 cup sabudana, 1/4th cup peanuts, 2 tablespoons ghee, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1-2 chopped green chillies, 1 medium boiled potato, 1/2 teaspoon sendha namak, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method: Wash the sabudana with water thrice before soaking it for 4-6 hours. Shift it to a colander later and keep aside. Dry roast 4 tablespoons of peanuts until they are golden brown, and set aside. Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Saute before adding cubed boiled potatoes. Continue stirring. Meanwhile, add salt to the sabudana. Turn up the flame and add this sabudana mixture to the pan. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes. Now remove it from the stove and squeeze in the lemon juice, coriander leaves and peanuts. This delicious Sabudana Khichdi can be served with yogurt
Urad Dal Khichdi
Urad dal, also known as black lentils, is full of nutrients and boasts of many health benefits. It is also considered as a good option for those working on losing weight, as it is a good source of fibre and is light on the digestive system. Check out this easy recipe of Urad Dal Khichdi by Karan Tripathi
Ingredients: 1 cup soaked rice, 3/4th cup soaked urad dal, 3 tablespoons desi ghee, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 pinch of hing, 2 cups of water
Method: Melt 1 tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds along with red chilli powder and hing. Now add the soaked urad dal and rice to the pressure cooker and mix. Add water and salt and shut the lid. Pressure cook the khichdi for 3 whistles. When it’s ready, add 2 tablespoons of ghee and mix
Now that you have three wholesome khichdi recipes at your disposal, which khichdi are you going to celebrate Makar Sankranti with?