My Mom’s Green Moong Dal Khichdi is prepared with rice and lentils and cooked in spices. This dish is perfect when you’re sick or just want some comfort food.
What is Khichdi?
Khichdi is a combination of steamed rice and lentils with aromatic Indian spices. There are many variations of Khichdi throughout India, and so rarely will two recipes from different regions be the same. My version is known as Green Moong Dal Khichdi or Punjabi Khichdi.
When to make Khichdi?
- when you’re sick
- or when you have an upset stomach
- somedays, you just don’t feel like cooking
- when you want something quick and easy
- when you just want comfort food… on a cold winter night
As a child, I wasn’t a fan of Khichdi. My mom made Khicadi only when someone was sick or had an upset stomach, so I’ve always associated Khichdi with being food you eat when you’re sick. Good, but it was kinda boring. As an adult, however, I’ve grown to enjoy khichdi. Khichdi is one of those quick, comforting, and healthy meals you make when you’re not in the mood to cook or if you’re not feeling well. I also enjoy it on a cold winter day with a hot cup of masala chai.
Growing up in a Punjabi household, my mom made Green Moong Dal Khichdi which are whole green gram lentils and white rice flavored with lots of ginger and spices. Some regions of India add vegetables to their Khichadi, however in our home, we kept it simple and let the spices truly stand out. This Green Moong Dal Khichadi is my mom’s recipe.
How to serve Green Moong Dal Khichdi?
- Khichdi with a dollop of butter is amazing. It just melts in your mouth. You can also add ghee, but I’m not a fan of eating ghee raw.
- Khichdi also goes perfectly with yogurt and achaar (pickle). It lends a creamy flavor with a salty kick. It’s so good.
- Green Moong Dal Khichdi can also be served with papad and/or red garlic chutney.
Instant Pot Green Moong Dal Khichdi vs Pressure Cooker!
As I’ve shared in the past, I’m terrified of using a Pressure Cooker. It’s more old-school and I just can’t keep track of the whistles and all. I love using an Instant Pot when making lentils so this Instant Pot Green Moong Dal Khichdi is convenient and so quick and easy.
Green Moong Dal Khichdi is:
Comforting
Healthy
Delicious
Gluten-Free
Vegan (skip the ghee, use oil instead)
Nutritious
Easy to Digest
Perfect Meal for Babies
How to make Green Moong Dal Khichdi recipe step by step?
Prep
1. While you prep your remaining ingredients, wash and soak the rice and lentils for about 5 minutes.
2. Set aside your ginger, green chilies, and spices.
Cook
1. In an Instant Pot, set to SAUTE mode. Once the pot is hot, add ghee.
2. Add the spices – cinnamon, black cardamom, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, turmeric, and hing. Saute for 15 seconds.
3. Now add ginger and green chilies. Saute for about 30 seconds.
4. Drain the rice and lentils. Add to the Instant Pot. Cook for 2 minutes until toasty. Turn off the Instant Pot – hit CANCEL.
5. Add salt. Stir well.
6. Cover and cook the khichdi on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes, Natural Release 10 minutes.
7. Once done, this is what you should have. The consistency is mushy, but not super flowy. Feel free to add more water for your desired consistency.
8. I added a cup of water and set my Instant Pot to KEEP WARM.
9. This is the consistency I love.
10. Serve with yogurt and achaar (pickle), or a dollop of grass-fed butter.
Enjoy!
More Beans & Lentils Recipes!
Green Moong Dal Khichdi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 black cardamom moti elachi
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1/8 tsp hing asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 inches ginger chopped
- 2 green chillies chopped
- 3/4 cup basmati white rice washed & drained
- 3/4 cup whole green gram green moong dal, washed & drained
- 5 cups water for the Instant Pot
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup water optional, after cooked khichdi
for garnish
- few fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- yogurt & achaar or a dollop of butter
Instructions
Prep
- While you prep your remaining ingredients, wash and soak the rice and lentils for about 5 minutes.
- Set aside your ginger, green chilies, and spices - cumin, black cardamom, cloves, hing, turmeric, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and turmeric powder.
Cook
- In an Instant Pot, set to SAUTE mode. Once the pot is hot, add ghee.
- Add all the spices - cinnamon, black cardamom, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, turmeric, and hing. Saute for 15 seconds.
- Now add ginger and green chilies. Saute for about 30 seconds.
- Drain the rice and lentils. Add to the Instant Pot. Cook for 2 minutes until toasty. Turn off the Instant Pot - hit CANCEL.
- Add salt. Stir well.
- Cover and cook the khichdi on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes, Natural Release 10 minutes.
- Once done, this is what you should have. The consistency is mushy, but not super flowy. Feel free to add more water for your desired consistency.
- I added a cup of water and set my Instant Pot to KEEP WARM.
- This is the consistency I love.
- Serve with yogurt and achaar (pickle), or a dollop of grass-fed butter.
Notes
- for vegan option: skip ghee, replace it with oil.
A foodie who is passionate about living a healthy-ish lifestyle, cooking, and traveling. You'll find a mix of everything here and lots of seasonal content. I moved from Jersey City leaving behind my family & friends to beautiful Southern California for love. I'm adjusting to the laid-back SoCal lifestyle and learning a lot about myself along the way. Come join me on a soul searching journey and I'll tell YOU "what's cooking" through my love for food, fashion, and travel.
I love many of your recipes, but I don’t have an insta pot and really don’t feel a need. Could you add stove top options to perhaps? Anyway I’ll try and figure it out but not everyone has the IP
Hi Deborah. I understand. I can’t guarantee this, but I would cover and cook the lentils and rice on low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes.
I haven’t tried this, so just a suggestion. Sorry!
I use a regular pressure cooker and cook for about 5-7 minutes depending on the kind of rice I am using
Hiii Deborah
I made this using a rice cooker. I boiled the mung beans first and only when it is half cooked I added the soaked basmati. The texture was fine as I added some coconut milk too.
I did not have all the spices mentioned here, so I had to modify and add coconut milk.
The texture was good. The taste was not great cos I did add all the spices mentioned here. You can try with rice cooker for sure.
This looks like the best kind of comfort food! Could I use split moong dal instead of the whole ones?
HI Monali. Yes, you may use split green moong dal instead. You will probably have to tweak the time. Perhaps instead of 15 mins on High Pressure, try 10. Hope that helps.
This was such an easy and quick recipe that still makes something healthy, comforting and yummy! Prep time was literally five minutes and I could walk away after putting into the instapot. I loved it with yogurt and pickle and my kids, who are normally fussy with indian food,ate it with papad. 🙂
Love love love this recipe!! My mom was feeling sick so I decided to do some home cooking for her.
Used this recipe for the second time today. I added a touch of garlic this time (I know that’s not how a traditional khichdi is made— my Gujarati mom had a fit when I made this decision). I can’t help adding garlic to stuff. I just love it so much! 🤦🏽♀️😂😅
Mom gobbled it up like it was the tastiest thing in this world. Try this recipe. You won’t regret it!
Love love love this recipe!! My mom was feeling sick so I decided to do some home cooking for her.
Used this recipe for the second time today. I added a touch of garlic this time (I know that’s not how a traditional khichdi is made— my Gujarati mom had a fit when I made this decision). I can’t help adding garlic to stuff. I just love it so much! 🤦🏽♀️😂😅
Mom gobbled it up like it was the tastiest thing in this world. Try this recipe. You won’t regret it!
Came out so wonderful and yum!!! Hubs swooned over it. Going to make this dish regularly 🙂
Loved this! I saw this recipe just in time for dinner and I really enjoyed it. It just hit the spot. It was comfort food no doubt. I ate it with some papad and I was so happy. It was so easy, quick and delicious! Thank you Nisha for this!!
Thanks Heer. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. xoxo
Making this today and while following the directions I realized you forgot to mention when to add the 5 cups of water but I figured it out 🙂 After seeing in the directions that I had to use 5 cups of water for the Instant Pot. Looking forward to the results after the khichdi is done cooking! Thanks for all your yummy recipes.
so quick and easy and comforting! have tried this recipe couple times:)
Came out amazing this was my frist time ever making it
We call it pongal if you make it with dehusked split mung dal. Tastes amazing. You could try. Made it in rice cooker.
Wholesome meal,very easy to make in instant pot.
I love whole moong daal but never made kichidi with it because I was never sure how long to cook it to get the right consistency without ending up with mushy rice. This recipe is so easy and makes perfectly cooked kichidi! My teenaged son commented that it “smells so good” when I was cooking it and it really is very delicious! Thank you Nisha!