Fabcafe, an inspired Indian Bistro that has opened its doors in Sector 29, Gurgaon after Vasant Kunj and Aerocity recently ran a contest in the GurgaonMoms community  where the members were asked to share their favourite version of Khichdi-which indeed is comfort food for many . Here are some awesome recipes by some of our fabulous members including the 3 winners

***WINNING ENTRY****

Abhilasha Jain -Rajasthan n Haryana’s Winter Delight-Bajre Ki Khichdi
Ingredients for Bajra Khichdi

1.Bajra soaked1/3 cup    2. Green Dal -3 tablespoons  3.Salt to taste

4.Pure ghee 2 tablespoons    5. Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon     6.Asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon

 

Method 
Soak the bajra and moong dal separately for 2-3 hours,drain water n let bajra dry for 1 hour on a cotton cloth.Now take a hamam dasta n kuttu it in it,n then take out out upper layer of bajra(fatka ke) . Combine the bajra-moong dal mixture with salt and two and a half cups of water. Let the water boil n then add mixture.I make it in handi

Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds change colour pour it over the cooked bajra khichdi and mix well.Serve hot with kadhi,yogurt and lehsun chatni

****WINNING ENTRY****

Pooja Mihani: A Healthy Khichdi
Ingredients:
1.Brown rice   2.Daliya  3.Barley  4. Oats
All of the above in equal quantities.
5. Chopped Carrots  6.Chopped Beans   7.Chopped Spinach  8.Chopped Methi
9.Chopped Tomatoes  10.Finely chopper Garlic  11.Finely chopped Onions  12.Hing
13.Salt  14.Oil  15.Finely chopped Ginger  16.Mix daal  17. Nutrela chunks small

18.Ghee for garnish  19.Red chilli powder  20.Kadi patta leaves  21.Rai  22.Zeera  23.Water  24.Chicken masala mdh(its vegetarian)  25 .Coriander for garnish

Method

Soak all grains together for 10 minutes.Soak nutrela chunks in warm water.In a pressure cooker add the soaked ingredients including nutrela with some salt .Add some extra water and pressure cook for 15 minutes.
In a sauce pan add oil .Wait till hot.Add zeera ,rai, kadi patta,hing, onions in the written order and saute till onions are light brown.Add ginger. Add tomatoes. Then all the veggies,saute till cooked.Add chicken masala red chilli powder and saute.
Now add this tadka to the boiled khichdi.Taste salt add more if required.Add kacha desi ghee ,coriander and relish

 

****WINNING ENTRY****

Manisha Goyal Mahajan : Chana dal khichdi

Mix 1/3 chana dal and 2/3 rice. Soak for about an hour. Put 2 tbsp of ghee in the pressure cooker, add hing and zeera, then put the soaked mix with seven times water. Add salt to taste. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame.
Take 2 tbsp ghee, heat it and then, add some curry patta and put that as garnish.

Accompaniments: Tomato chutney(Sweet, sour and spicy) with unpeeled, finely cut potato sabzi and curd.

 

Kanika Mathur :Masala South Indian Kicchdi

Sauté some carrots, boiled peas and beans in a tablespoon of ghee. When they begin to turn brown Remove them from the pan. Next in the same Pressure cooker at 2 cloves, 3 peppercorns and some zeera in 1 Tablespoon ghee. Take half portion of masoor dal and half portion of moong dal and mix with One portion of rice. Wash and add to the pressure cooker along with water . Now add salt according to taste and 1 tablespoon sambhar masala . Now Put the lid on and let the rice cook for 2 – 3 whistles. When you open the pressure cooker add the cubed and stir fried vegetables and put the lid back on. The khichri is ready to be served . Roast some papad and then crush it with hand . Serve this with the khichri. Also add some ghee on top of the khichri while serving. Also serve a kachumber of cucumber, onion , coriander, mint and tomato along with it !

Vidhya Venkat :Healthy Oats Khichdi 

Ingredients: 
1. Rolled Oats or normal Oats – 1 cup  2. Vegetables of your choice- carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower tomato and onion.  3. Salt, red chilli or green chilli or sambhar powder  4. Ghee for dhadka

Method:Take ghee in a kadai. Add Rai, Jeera, curry patta and one green or red chilli split and hing and turmeric powder and one tsp sambhar powder. Add onion and saute for a minute. Next add tomato and saute for a minute. Later add all the vegetables and saute for a minute or two and add water. Add salt and let the water boil and vegetables get cooked. Now add the roasted oats and keep stirring till it becomes thick. Garnish with coriander! Serve hot with aloo roast or raita or papad.

Upasana Mahtani Luthra  : Koni Kichdi or Sindhi Khichdi 

Koni Khichni ( Sindhi Khichdi – lentils and rice) with Dahi and methi aloo

Koni Khichni : Wash 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup moong dal . Cook with 3 cups of water , 2-3 peppercorns and 2 crushed elaichi. The khichdi can be smashed with a wooden ladle after cooked.

Methi aloo : Sindhi Thoom Methi masala ( Sindhi Garlic fenugreek leaves base)

Ingredients:
Chopped Potato
One Bunch Methi ( about 3 handfuls)- to be washed well and chopped finely.
Take care to avoid the stalks and roots.Drain
One bunch Dhania( Corriander leaves) – approx same size as methi- again to be
washed and chopped. Drain
( Methi and dhania can be done together)
Red ripe Tomatoes-10 med sized – to be pureed
Garlic- about 6- 8 cloves- finely minced
Green chilies- 2-3 (can be increased depending on spice level)
Jeera( Cumin seeds) ,Haldi,Salt.

Method: 
Take about 2 tbsp oil.Heat, add jeera seeds till they splutter.
Add the garlic and sauté.
Add the finely chopped Methi and dhania and sauté on medium heat till it catches.. as in till the leaves get a bit dry and cooked. Add green chillies.
Add about 1 tsp haldi and salt to taste.( If you want it very spicy you can add red chilly powder)
Add the potato now. Add tomato puree and let cook on medium to slow flame till the masala is not raw(kacha).It’s not very oily so the oil may not leave the sides.

Paavani Bishnoi :Veggie Delight Khichdi

Wash dhooli moong and soak.Wash & Soak rice too for 30 min.
Cut all seasonal and available veggies like Lauki, potato, onion, matar, gajar, beans in small size
Grate ginger . Take a big cooker,put ghee.In a plate take – jeera, khade masala like cinnamon stick, big elaichi, bay leaf.And put in when ghee is hot and sauté adrak and onion.
Now sauté other vegetables too.Put turmeric powder and salt as per taste.Sauté little more and now time to put dal chawal. And add water 4 times the quantity.
After 2 whistles,once steam is taken off,take some ghee and put jeera and heeng ka tadka.

Serve with khichdi ke chaar yaar- ghee papad dahi & achar.
It’s a complete meal in itself and very healthy .