Khichdi, also called kitchari, is a cozy rice stew with lentils and jarred khichdi makes a great gift to introduce this delicious Indian food to your loved ones! Empty the jar into your saucepan or Instant Pot and cook! This post was originally published in December 2017. It has been updated with new images and videos
Khichdi or kitchari is a risotto-like preparation with rice and dal which is usually lightly spiced and served as a light meal when you are sick or simply to give your digestion a break with a simple nutritious meal.
The gift jar is filled with lentils, rice, and spices that you can simply pour into a pot of vegetables and water and cook on the stovetop or in your Instant Pot. It’s a super simple recipe, and because you package the spices separately from the rice and lentils, the recipient will be able to wash the rice and lentils without losing any of that amazing flavor!
The simplest version of khichdi is less spicy, with only one or two spices. It’s kind of an analogue of chicken noodle soup. It’s a simple, lightly spiced light meal. You can add different spices, vegetables, tomato etc. to make it an even more substantial meal. The basic version is in mine first bookand this kitchari jar recipe is adapted from it.
Khichdi is generally overcooked to be more of a mush/porridge for easy digestion. However, you can change the consistency by adjusting the cooking time. I give you a range of cooking times based on your preferences. Cook for less time for cereals and lentils to hold their shape and cook longer for a porridge. I use split lentils (petite yellow (moong dal) or red lentils (masoor dal) and white basmati rice. Lentils and rice have a similar cooking time and are therefore paired. With brown rice you should pair it with longer cooking wholemeal lentils and mung beans Check out my hearty version with brown rice and green moong.
This bottled kitchari makes a great gift. His perfect for introducing friends to Indian food even if they don’t have Indian spices, great to give as a gift for a quick and finished meal, and also to give as a gift to yourself! You’ll want to make and eat a lot of kitchari after big holiday meals, and the jar cuts the active time to about five minutes. Great to have around just for quick dinners during the week! Add some chopped veggies to the jar ingredients for a nutritious lentil rice stew.
To cook from the jar, empty the contents into your Instant Pot or a saucepan, add your veggies of choice, add water and simmer until the lentils and rice are cooked to your liking! Serve as is or with some chutneys or papadums/crackers.
You can also make it into a stew/curry by adding a little non-dairy milk along with the water.
Because you will love Khichdi/Kitchari in a jar
- It makes a great holiday gift!
- Prepared khichdi is a perfect and relaxing meal to balance out all the rich festive food
- the jars are simple to assemble
- perfect for introducing people to Indian food even if they don’t have an Indian pantry
- perfect gift for anyone as it is a quick and ready meal
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free
Prevents the screen from going dark
Assemble the jar (see below to make it directly.)
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Layer the rice and lentils.
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Toast the cumin seeds and cloves on the stove over medium heat until the cumin seeds change color slightly. 1 minute. This step is optional. (Toasted cumin seeds add a deeper flavor and also allow you to avoid the extra step of roasting the spice mixture in oil before adding the lentils. You can cook the Khichdi in 1 step.) Cool completely.
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Fold the toasted cumin, cloves and the rest of the spices into a parchment paper bag or small zip lock and add to the jar. Close the lid. Store up to 3 months.
Instructions for making khichdi on the jar
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Wash the lentils and rice.
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For the Instant Pot – Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in Sauté mode. Once the oil is hot, add the contents of the spice package. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 15 seconds. Then add 3.5-4 cups of water (depends on your preference of stew consistency), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt and any vegetables that you are using. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2-4 minutes (4 for the consistency of Indian khichdi style porridge). For a spiced rice-style kitchari, pressure cook on low pressure for 3 minutes. Release the pressure after 5 minutes. Blend slightly.
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For Pot – Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the contents of the spice package. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Then add 5 cups of water (depends on your preference of stew consistency), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt and any vegetables that you are using. Partially cover and cook for 22 minutes, then check for consistency and doneness and continue to cook until cooked through. (Alternatively, skip the roasting step and add the spices, rice with washed lentils, water, salt, tomato, vegetables. Mix well and cook)
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For a creamier spread, add 1/4 cup coconut cream or non-dairy yogurt. Garnish with coriander, lemon juice and pepper flakes and serve as is or with chutney, Indian pickles and/or papadums/crackers.
Do Khichdi without turning it into a jar
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Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in sauté mode in the Instant Pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cloves and cook until fragrant. Add bay leaves, turmeric and garam masala and mix for a few seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, water, salt and cook according to the jar instructions above.
Use other spice blends like berbere, curry powder, Jamaican curry blend, baharat etc.
Other lentils/rice: If using brown basmati rice, use brown/green lentils, black-eyed peas or green mung beans depending on cooking time. Add 4 cups of water and cook for 16-18 minutes on Manual Hi mode in Instant Pot.
Replace half the white basmati rice with quinoa or millet.
Add a mix of lentils like toor dal and moong dal or urad dal and moong dal.
No garlic onion: Omit the onion flakes and garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, also add 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida or 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds to the spice bag.
Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 58G, Protein: 13G, Fat: 1G, Saturated fat: 0.2G, Polyunsaturated fats: 0.4G, Monounsaturated fats: 0.3G, Sodium: 465mg, Potassium: 589mg, Fiber: 14G, Sugar: 2G, Vitamin A: 2642UI, Vitamin C: 12mg, Soccer: 56mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and substitutions
- rice – Use long-grain white basmati rice for the most authentic kitchari.
- lentils – Choose quick-cooking lentils, such as red lentils or split moong dal.
- whole spices – Whole cumin seeds and cloves can be toasted or not. Roast them for the best flavor!
- ground spices – For the spice packet you will also need coriander, onion flakes, garlic powder, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper and bay leaves.
- tomato – To prepare khichdi, it adds umami and colour.
- chopped vegetables – Use fresh or frozen.
- salt – Enhances flavours.
💡 Tips
- Toasting all the spices takes a few extra minutes, but it really adds incredible flavor to the khichdi!
How to make Khichdi jar mix
Layer the rice and lentils.
Toast the cumin seeds and cloves on the stove over medium heat until the cumin seeds change color slightly. This step is optional. Toasted cumin seeds add a deeper, tastier flavor. Cool completely.
Fold the toasted cumin, cloves and the rest of the spices into a parchment paper bag and add it to the jar. Close the lid. Store up to 3 months.
How to prepare Khichdi
Wash the lentils and rice.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat and add the contents of the spice packet. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. This is optional, you can also add spices directly to the lentils and rice
Add the rice, lentils, water and tomato to the pan along with the vegetables you are using. Mix well.
Partially cover and cook for 22 minutes, then check for consistency and doneness and continue to cook until cooked through. Unmold and serve with toppings of your choice.
For the Instant Pot – Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in Sauté mode. Once the oil is hot, add the contents of the spice package. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 15 seconds. Then add 3.5-4 cups of water (depends on your preference of stew consistency), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt and any vegetables that you are using. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2-4 minutes (4 for the consistency of Indian khichdi style porridge). For a spiced rice-style kitchari, pressure cook on low pressure for 3 minutes. Release the pressure after 5 minutes. Blend slightly.
What to serve with Khichdi
Add more flavor to your khichdi with some mint or tomato chutney or Indian pickles like mango, tomato or pickled chilli, with non-dairy yogurt or raita. Serve it alone or with papadums or crackers.
Frequently asked questions
Kitchari is naturally free of gluten, soy and nuts.
