CREAMY RICE AND LENTILS CALLED KHICHRI

In our family we call it "Indian risotto without butter." Basically rice and lentils are cooked together on slow heat until they get blended with each other.I would like to add lot of fresh vegetables in it to make it a complete meal.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup split mung lentils called yellow dhal
5 cups water
1/2 inch ginger minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup chopped vegetables like carrots, broccoli,cauliflower,green beans
A handful of chopped baby spinach
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tabs canola oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 dry red chilies broken in halves
A pinch of garam masala
2-3 tabs grated low fat cheddar cheese (optional)

Wash rice and lentils and soak them in double amount of water for half an hour. Drain them out and place them in pressure cooker with 5 cups water, minced ginger and garlic, all the vegetables and salt. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over low heat until pressure regulator indicates high pressure with little whistling sound which takes about 15-20 minutes. Put the stove off and let it cool and depressurize on its own for about 15 minutes.

Carefully open the lid and check that khichri should be soft and creamy, if too thich add little water and cook for few more minutes. Transfer it to a warm serving bowl and keep it covered. Heat the oil in a small nonstick pan on medium to high heat, add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter a few seconds, add cumin seeds, dry red chilies and garam masala and give it a stir. Immegiately pour it over khichri and swirl it around. To make it little gourmeh, sprinkle grated cheese in individual bowls before serving if desired.

It can be cooked in a regular pot also on low to medium heat for about 45 minutes to one hour stirring in between.








NOTE-Pressure cooker should be used according to manufacturer's instructions.