This is a quick satisfying one-pot meal to prepare. It is easy to digest, nourishing, balancing and a complete protein in one bowl. When eaten together, rice and dal provide all the essential amino acids for a nutritionally sustainable meal. Perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time to cook and need something fast but with enough nutrients to sustain you. It can be eaten in the morning or evening and takes only half an hour to prepare.

When preparing Kichadi, it is important to understand the different types of dal or legumes used and their energetic qualities.  There is one type of dal which is favourable and used most often – whole moong(mung beans) and when husked and split becomes split moong. These two are easy to digest, gentle on the system and cause minimum disturbances to all constitutions.  All other dals or legumes are recommended to use in moderation and small quantities.

When serving Kichadi, drizzle with a spoon of ghee. GHEE is a magical golden substance that has many benefits for the human system including improved digestion as well as making everything taste better.

I recently spent a week with my daughter helping her organise her first apartment in London. She needed a few quick no-fuss meals that she could make while balancing studies and working – this was one of them.

Easy One-Pot Kichadi

Preparation – 35 minutes

Serves 2

ingredients
⅓ cup/60g split moong dal
⅓ cup/60g white basmati rice
3 cups/750ml water

1 Tbsp ghee
¼ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
½ small red chilli (optional)
6 curry leaves
⅛ tsp turmeric powder

½ cup/30g chopped cabbage
½ cup/70g finely chopped carrot

¾ tsp fine rock salt
½ tsp jaggery/brown sugar
1 Tbsp dried shredded coconut
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 – 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped
to serve
ghee
Indian spicy pickle

preparation
1.  Place the dal and rice in a bowl, rinse with water until the water runs clear, drain and pour in 3 cups water. Set aside.

2.  In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the ghee and mustard seeds; when the mustard seeds turn grey and pop, turn down the heat and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, and chilli – fry for a few seconds, swishing the pan around for the spices to fry evenly.

3.  Add in the curry leaves and turmeric powder – fry for a few seconds.

4.  Pour the dal, rice and water into the voggarane, bring to boil over high heat, then lower to maintain a rapid simmer.

5.  While waiting for the dal and rice to boil, finely chop the carrot and cabbage and add this to the simmering rice and dal.

6.  After 20 minutes, turn the heat to low and cover. When the dal and rice have softened, add the salt, jaggery, ginger, dried coconut, lemon juice and coriander – turn off the heat, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to meld together.

Taste adding more lemon or salt as needed. Serve drizzled with ghee.

suggestions

• Soak the dal and rice in the morning for quick evening preparation.

variations

• Replace the white basmati rice with quinoa. Using ½ cup quinoa and ¼ cup dal.
• Change the vegetables to suit the seasons.
• Add ½  – 1 tsp sambar powder, replace the lemon juice with tamarind paste.