Comfort Food - Khichdi

There are some foods that you always associate with being simple and  home cooked. The humble khichdi may not make it to the menu of a gourmet restaurant (yet!), does remain fairly popular across different Indian cuisines. Most versions involve cooking rice to a soggy consistency, but this one, the hyderabadi style retains the grains intact and can be eaten on any day regardless of the condition of the stomach!

Ingredients
150 gms rice
20 grams masoor dal
Around 3 cups of water
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 an onion
1/2 inch cinnamon
1 cardamom
1 table spoon oil
Salt to taste
a few sprigs of cilantro leaves

Method
Wash and soak the rice and dal separately for about 15 mins.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel and fry the onions to translucent.
Drain the water off the dal and add to the onions. fry for about a minute.
Add turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon and mix for about half a minute.
Add the drained rice and water; sprinkle salt let in cook with the lid closed for 10 mins
One the grains are about 80 % cooked, check to see if a sprinkle of water in required. Add cilantro and let is cook for about 5-7 mins.

Serve hot with til ki chutney ( will do a post on it), tamatar ki chutney or kheema.