Palak Dhal Kitchadi /Spinach Moong Dhal Kitchadi

Pulav / Biryani / Variety rice, Variety Rice 61 comments

Kitchadis are the perfect comfort food for cold winter days. This spinach flavoured kitchadi is cozy, aromatic and damn good when served with pappad. Hearty, nourishing and delicious.

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serving – 2

Ingredients:

Rice – 1/2 cup
Moong Dhal – 1/4 th cup
Palak / Spinach – 1 bunch
Jeera / Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Onion – 1 (medium size)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Hing (optional) – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Ghee – 1 to 2 tablespoon
Oil – 1 tablespoon

To Grind:

Ginger – small piece
Garlic – 3 cloves
Green chilli – 1 1/2 to 2

Step by Step Instructions:

  • Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and discard the bottom portion. Finely chop the spinach leaves and keep it aside. Finely chop the onion.
  • Grind the green chillies, garlic and ginger into a coarse paste using little water if necessary.
  • To prepare the palak kitchadi in an instant pot – Keep all the ingredients ready by the side. Keep the instant pot setting in saute` mode. If there is any moisture in the lining pot, then allow it to dry. Now add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon ghee. Add 1 teaspoon jeera / cumin seeds. Now add the green chilli-ginger-garlic ground paste and saute` for few seconds or until the raw smell goes away. Add the chopped spinach leaves and saute` for 1 – 2 minutes.
  • Add hing and turmeric powder and give a quick stir. Now add the washed moong dhal and rice and saute` for few seconds. Add salt. Add about 2 1/2 cups of water. Mix the contents well so that the rice and dhal are uniformly mixed with other ingredients. Close the instant pot with the lid and switch the setting from saute mode to pressure cook mode ( or appropriate setting in your instant pot so that the dhal gets cooked well. If you have to manually set the timing – then choose 13 to 14 minutes).
  • To prepare the Palak Kitchadi in a pressure cooker – Place the pressure cooker on the stove and keep the flame low. Allow the heat to evenly spread so that all the moisture is absorbed. Add 1 tablespoon ghee and 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1 teaspoon jeera / cumin seeds. Add green chilli-ginger-garlic paste and saute` for few seconds or cook until the raw smell goes away. Add the chopped spinach leaves and saute` for 1 – 2 minutes. Add hing and turmeric powder and give a quick stir. Now add the washed moong dhal and rice and saute` for few seconds. Add salt. Add about 2 1/2 cups of water. Mix the contents well so that the ingredients are mixed well. Close the pressure cooker with a lid and place the weight. Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
  • Once the Palak Kitchadi is done, drizzle 1 tablespoon of ghee on top and mix well. Adding extra ghee (optional) gives an aromatic flavour and enriches the taste.
  • Serve this delicious Palak Kitchadi with pappadums.

61 comments

  23. Oh this certainly is comfort food though I live in tropical climate.🙂.I made it once last year just to try out what this meal is all about and shared it with my Godpa who truly enjoyed it. I did too.
    Thank you so much for kindly sharing your recipe which looks so yummy!, Sowmya.

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