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Biryani & pulao

Khichdi Recipe

کھچڑی بنانے کا طریقہ

Soft, comforting khichdi of rice and yellow moong daal cooked together with turmeric, finished with a ghee baghaar of golden onion, garlic and cumin.
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Illustration of Khichdi

Prep

10 min

Cook

40 min

Marinate / soak

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Mild

Khichdi is rice and daal cooked together until soft, the first food many Pakistani children eat and the meal every mother makes when someone is ill. Yellow moong daal is the usual choice because it cooks at the same pace as the rice and is easy to digest. On its own it is plain on purpose; the ghee baghaar poured on top, and the yogurt, pickle and papad served alongside, are what turn it into a proper meal.

Ingredients

4 servings

For 4 servings

Measures

Baghaar (tarka)

Method

  1. Wash the rice and moong daal together in several changes of water, then soak them in fresh water.

    ⏱ 30 min

  2. Drain and put them in a heavy pot with the water, salt, turmeric and ginger. Bring to a boil and skim off any froth.

    ⏱ 6 min

  3. Lower the heat, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer, stirring every few minutes so it does not catch, until the rice and daal are completely soft and the khichdi is thick and creamy.

    ⏱ 25 min

  4. Mash lightly with the back of the spoon. Add a little hot water if you like it looser; it thickens as it stands.

  5. For the baghaar, heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the onion until deep golden. Add the garlic and fry until golden, then the cumin and dry red chillies for a few seconds.

    ⏱ 8 min

  6. Pour the sizzling baghaar over the khichdi and serve hot.

Tips for the best result

  • For a looser, porridge-like khichdi for someone unwell, use 5.5 cups of water and skip the onion in the baghaar.
  • Many Pakistani homes serve khichdi with keema or a dry aloo bhujia on the side to make it a fuller meal.
  • Masoor daal works instead of moong and cooks just as fast.

Common mistakes

  • Walking away while it simmers. Khichdi thickens and catches on the bottom quickly; stir it regularly.
  • Skipping the baghaar. Without it khichdi tastes flat; the ghee, onion and cumin carry all the flavour.

How to serve

Serve hot with plain yogurt or raita, mango or lime pickle, and papad.

Storing and reheating

Keeps 2 days in the fridge. It sets firm when cold; reheat with hot water, stirring, until creamy again.

Nutrition and cost

Worked out from the ingredients, not measured in a lab. Treat both as a rough guide.

Per serving Estimate

Calories
365kcal
Protein
10g
Fat
11g
Carbs
57g
Fibre
5.5g
Sodium
880mg

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018), public domain values for the raw ingredients (100% of the recipe by weight had data). Deep-frying oil is counted at 20%; bones and water lost in cooking are not subtracted, so bone-in and fried dishes can read high. Not medical advice. Method

Cost per servingEstimate

≈ Rs 26

Whole dish ≈ Rs 105 · 90% of ingredients by weight priced

From the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics weekly SPI, week ended 29 Oct 2026. Spices, herbs and some vegetables are not in the SPI and are left out unless you add your price, so the real cost is a little higher. How this works

Khichdi: questions people ask

Which daal is best for khichdi?

Yellow moong daal is the classic choice because it cooks in the same time as rice and is gentle on the stomach. Masoor daal is a good substitute.

Can I make khichdi in a pressure cooker?

Yes. Use 4 cups of water, cook for 3 whistles or about 8 minutes after full pressure, let the pressure drop on its own, then stir and add the baghaar.

Serve it with, and similar recipes

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Read this recipe in Urdu: کھچڑی بنانے کا طریقہ

https://handi.danixsoft.com/recipes/khichdi · Handi, DanixSoft