India's Favourite Comfort Food

Whether you are ill or bouncing with joy, a good old khichdi always does the trick, says Naini Setalvad. It warms the cockles of your heart!

- Naini Setalvad

The food of the gods, kings, and us common folk-khichdi. No one can seem to resist the charm of one of India's most ancient concoctions. This superfood is one of those rare dishes that effortlessly crosses the boundary between what's considered 'regular' and 'exquisite': it can be a comforting yet effortless meal after a tiring day or a grand preparation made for dinner guests.

At its core, it is a one-pot meal comprising grain, lentil, fat, flavorsome spices, and vegetables. Rice is the most popular grain for khichdi, but one can use millet, broken wheat, and barley as well. The lentils can include dals like moong (green gram), masoor (red lentil), toor (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), or even whole pulses. The pairing of grains with lentils or pulses provides us with all the essential amino acids (protein builders) required by our bodies. Usually, a good quality fat like cow's ghee (clarified butter) is used for tempering.

The combination of spices and vegetables is what makes each khichdi different from the other. It is one of those dishes where you can exercise endless creativity. No wonder there are so many variations of it. So let's dive deep into some of these delicacies.

1. Bajra khichdi

A bowl of creamy and heartfelt goodness straight from the royal kitchens of Rajasthan. This khichdi uses bajra or pearl millet as its base. This millet is a whole grain, high in fibre and low on the glycaemic index. It is also rich in calcium. This khichdi is specially made in winter as it warms the body. A cow's ghee based tempering of jeera (cumin) and hing (asafoetida) helps to make it easy to digest. There are many variations of this khichdi, but mine is with the addition of moong dal and vegetables. This makes for a deliciously wholesome meal.

2. Khichuri