LASOONI PALAK KHICHDI

Khichdi has always been a favorite comfort food for most of the families. But today it’s Lasooni Palak Khichdi which is more delicious and healthier. Served this piping hot khichdi with curd, luscious mango pickle from @deuscollective and home-made Sun Dried Potato Chips.

Ingredients:

· Basmati rice - 1 cup

· Yellow Moong dal - ½ cup

· Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

· Salt

· Water as required

· Spinach - 1 large bunch (washed & cleaned)

· Fresh mint leaves – ¼ cup

· Fresh coriander - ¼ cup

· Green chilies – 2-3

· Garlic – 4-5 cloves

· A pinch of salt

For Preparing the Khichdi:

· Ghee – 1½ tbsp

· Jeera - 1 tsp

· Hing – ¼ tsp

· Garlic Chopped – 1 tbsp

· Ginger – 1 tsp

· Dry Red Chilies – 1-2 (broken)

· Onions - 1 big size (chopped)

· Tomato - 1 medium size (chopped)

· Salt to taste

· Coriander powder - 1 tbsp

· Jeera powder - 1 tsp

· Garam masala - 1 tsp

· Lemon juice - 1 tsp

For 2nd tadka:

· Ghee 1 tbsp

· Garlic - 3-4 cloves (sliced)

· Hing ½ tsp

· Whole Red chillies 2-3 nos.

· Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp

Method:

· Wash the rice and yellow moong dal separately, soak them in water for 30 mins.

· Now transfer the strained dal and rice in the pressure cooker, add salt, turmeric powder and add water little above the dal surface.

· Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium heat, turn off the flame and allow the pressure cooker to depressurize naturally.

· Slowly open the lid & just lightly stir with fork.

· Clean the spinach & wash it thoroughly, for blanching the spinach, set water for boiling in a pot, add a pinch of salt and the washed spinach leaves.

· Cook for 15-30 seconds, immediately dip into ice cold water to retain its color.

· Now transfer the blanched spinach in a blending jar, add fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves, green chilies & garlic, blend into a fine puree. Keep this aside.

· Set a pan on medium high heat, add ghee & jeera, add hing, ginger, garlic & broken red chilies, cook them for a minute on medium high heat.

· Now add onions & continue to cook on medium high heat, until translucent.

· Add the tomatoes, salt & powdered spices, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add little water to avoid the spices from burning. Cook well until the tomatoes are mushy and the raw smell goes away.

· Now add the spinach puree, stir & cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.

· After cooking the spinach, add the cooked moong dal & rice & some boiling water if required.

· Stir gently & cook. add lemon juice and mix well, lasooni palak khichdi is ready.

· Before serving temper it with second tadka to enhance the flavor.

· For 2nd tadka, heat ghee in a tadka pan, add garlic and cook until the garlic turns light golden brown in color, add hing, whole red chilies and red chilli powder, as soon as you add the red chili powder, pour the tadka over the khichdi and serve hot, with curd or any raita, pickle, papad of your choice.