Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe

rinse and soak rice in water for 30 mins. in a pan slow roast the moong dal till some of the lentils turn light golden and aromatic. keep on stirring to get uniform roasting and browning. when the lentils cool, rinse them in water. sprinkle some water on them and keep aside. just before you begin tempering, drain both the moong dal as well as rice and keep aside. heat ghee or oil in the pressure cooker. first fry the whole spices till they become aromatic - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cumin. the cumin should also crackle when frying the spices. now add the grated ginger and saute for a 5-6 seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger goes away. add turmeric, red chili powder and asafoetida and saute for 2-3 seconds. then add the tomatoes and green chilies and saute till the tomatoes become soft. add the chopped veggies - potato and peas. stir and saute for a minute. add the roasted moong dal and saute for 2 minutes. add the drained rice and stir well. pour 5 cups water and add salt & sugar. stir and then pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on medium to high flame. once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the cooker. serve the bengali khichdi with baingan bhaja or yogurt and some roasted papads by the side.