In Punjabi Cuisine, chana dal khichdi is one of the most popular comfort food. It is an easy to make, one pot meal, very similar to a pulao.
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Chana Dal Khichdi is a very popular Punjabi style khichdi made with basmati rice, and chana dal (Bengal Gram). In my husband’s Sikh family, it is a must-cook dish on special festive and celebratory occasions such as Sankranti, as a sign of a good omen.
Is this a khichdi or pulao? Chana Dal Khichdi has a texture and cooking process more like a pulao. Unlike, traditional dal khichdi it is more fluffy like a pulao. In Punjabi, it is also called chole ki dal ke chawal, or chole ki dal ka pulao, or chana dal pulao.
Ingredient You’ll Need
- Rice: Short to medium grain rice works best for this khichdi recipe.
- Chana Dal (Bengal Gram): Many people confuse it with white kabuli chana(chole/chickpeas). Both are different in colour, taste, and texture.
- Ginger and Garlic: I use chopped ginger and garlic. You can add a teaspoon of the ginger garlic paste as well.
- Cooking Oil: Use either flavourless vegetable oil or ghee.
- Spices: Cumin Seeds, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric, Asafoetida
- Chopped Onion, Salt, and Water
How To Make Khichdi
The chana dal khichdi is cooked in two steps. Both the cooking steps can be easily done on a pressure cooker or an instant pot.
Step 1) The first step is to cook the Bengal gram or chana dal without rice in the pressure cooker.
- Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes. Similarly clean, wash and soak Bengal gram (chana dal) in water for 20 minutes in a separate bowl.
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and onion. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. (image 2)
- Add ginger-garlic and fry for another 10 – 20 seconds to remove the raw smell.
- Drain water from the soaked Bengal gram. Add it to the pressure cooker along with the salt to taste and spices. Fry for 1 minute.
- Add 1 ¼ cup of water. Stir to mix. Pressure cook the dal for 2 – 3 whistles over medium heat. Turn off the heat. Let the steam release naturally.
Step 2) The second step is to cook rice with the flavored chana dal to make khichdi.
- Open the lid, add the soaked rice without water and stir to combine (image 6). Taste for seasoning.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the rice cook uncovered over slow heat. At this stage, you can also pressure cook it for 1 whistle. (image 8)
- After cooking the chana dal khichdi, fluff it using a fork, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This ensures each grain of rice and lentil is non-sticky and fluffy.
Serving Suggestion
Like other Indian khichdi’s this dal khichdi also tastes best with:
- spicy pickle
- ghee or butter
- fresh curd or raita
- sliced onion or kachumber salad
- green chutney or tomato chutney
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Do not add too much water to cook the dal. The ratio of 1: ¼ (dal to water) works perfectly.
- For me, in a stovetop pressure cooker, it takes 2 – 3 whistles over medium heat to cook the dal perfectly for khichdi. In an instant pot,
- To make a vegan khichdi, you can use coconut oil or vegetable oil.
- After cooking the chana dal khichdi, fluff it using a fork, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This ensures each grain of rice and lentil is non-sticky and fluffy.
Try these comforting Indian khichdi recipes of Lehsuni Palak Khichdi, Vegetable Masala Khichdi, or the Sankranti Special Urad Dal Khichdi.
Give this khichdi recipe a try for your next family lunch, and let me know how you liked it!
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Chana Dal Khichdi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup white rice (short to medium grain)
- ½ Cup chana dal (Bengal Gram)
- 4 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- ½ Cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ¼ Cup water
Instructions
- To make Chana Dal Pulao, first, wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes. Similarly clean, wash and soak bengal gram in a separate bowl for 20 minutes
- Next heat ghee in a pressure cooker over medium flame. Add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and asafoetida. Fry for 10 – 20 seconds.
- Add the chopped onion, and fry till the onion turns golden brown.
- Now drain water from the soaked Bengal gram dal. Add it to the pressure cooker along with the salt and spices. Fry for 1 minute.
- Add 1 ¼ cups of water. Stir to mix. Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles over medium heat. In Instant Pot, cook dal for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Release the steam manually.
- Open the lid, add the soaked rice without water and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Once again close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook the khichdi for 1 whistle over low heat. In Instant Pot, it takes 3 minutes. This time let the steam release naturally from the cooker.
- After cooking the chana dal khichdi, fluff it using a fork, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This ensures each grain of rice and lentil is non-sticky and fluffy.
- Serve Chana Dal khichdi with fresh curd and pickle.
Recipe Notes:
- Do not add too much water to cook the dal. The ratio of 1: ¼ (dal to water) works perfectly.
- Soaking chana dal reduces the cooking time.
- The chana dal should not be mushy or overcooked.
- The short to medium-grain rice works best for this khichdi recipe.
- To make it vegan you can use coconut oil or vegetable oil.
- You can cook it in an instant pot as well. It takes exactly 20 minutes in an instant pot.
malathi says
nice briyani
a written by custom essay writers says
In the world there are many variations of cooking rice dishes. This recipe is quite interesting in its execution.
Caroline says
V good i added chia seed and lemon juice v yummy