Make this Khichadi Rice and Lentils recipe in your Instant Pot to create the ultimate Indian comfort food! This recipe is super tasty and vegetarian and vegan friendly!
Khichadi Rice and Lentils
I’m sick today so made myself a little comfort food. This Khichadi Rice and Lentils is the Indian equivalent of grilled cheese and tomato soup? It’s rice and dal, cooked together in an Instant Pot until mushy, flavored with ghee, cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt. Every little baby grows up eating this, and it’s supposed to be really easy on your stomach. I love peanuts in my version.
To make this, you’ll need some kind of daal. You want something like moong dal, or masoor dal or something that is split, not whole dal. Don’t use chana dal which won’t cook fast enough.
The combination of rice and dal makes this a complete, vegetarian protein source. Here are some examples of daal that will work (all except the one at the top right, the little brown ones, because see how that’s an entire bean, not split like the others? That’s not what you want. You want split beans like the others)
How else do people say/spell Khichadi?
You may find, when searching, that there are several ways you can spell Khichadi. Some variations of the word for this same dish may include: Khichdi, Dal Khichdi, Kitchari, Khitchari.
However you spell this delicious dish, you’re going to love eating it! Spelling doesn’t matter when it tastes so good!
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN RECIPES? CHECK OUT MYVEGAN SOOKHI URAD DALRECIPE!
And if you’re looking for more Indian vegetarian dishes, check out my 75+ EASY Indian Instant Pot Recipes post!
For additional nerd points, I can tell you that the dish/word Kedgeree is an anglicized version of the Indian khichadi. So now you know.
You want this to be mushy, but not soupy. Here’s how I made this.
Want More One Pot Pressure Cooker Meals?
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken is an easy 30-minute dinner and you can make rice on top of it, as the video shows.
- Pressure Cooker Rice and Dal is a great vegetarian rice dinner.
- This Lebanese Lentil and Rice dish is another great Vegetarian Instant Pot recipe .
- Instant Pot Indian Khichadi is comfort food in a bowl!
- Instant Pot Risotto with Shrimp is another one-pot comfort meal.
- Buffalo chicken casserole for the days you want low carb recipes
- You might also like low carb Chicken Biryani that uses riced cauliflower.
- Chicken and Mushrooms are a great combo.
- My kids love Instant Pot Pork Chops with Rice and Vegetables
- Zucchini Lasagna - You won’t even miss the pasta.
- Haluski Recipe - A wonderful cabbage and noodles recipe.
Instant Pot Khichadi Rice and Lentils
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Ghee
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
- ▢ 1/4 cup Spanish peanuts
- ▢ 3/4 cup Short Grain Rice , (such as jasmine or sona masoori)
- ▢ 1/4 cup moong dal or whatever kind of split dal you have or a mix of them
- ▢ 1 3/4 cup Water , (one and three quarters, not 13 cups of water)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Mix the rice and dal and rinse well
- Turn your Instant Pot on Sauté and high heat, and when it’s hot, add ghee
- Once the ghee melts and starts to shimmer, add the cumin seeds into the oil and wait for them to start sputtering like popcorn
- Add in the turmeric and let it sizzle so it doesn’t taste raw
- Quickly add in peanuts and stir around and then add the rice and dal
- Stir until all of it is coated with the ghee
- Pour in water, add salt, and set your Instant Pot on high for 10 minutes
- Allow NPR and open carefully. You may meed to add a 1/4 c of water at this point if the rice has absorbed all of it.
- Stir everything together and serve with additional ghee or a little yogurt on the side.
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Make this Khichadi Rice and Lentils recipe in your Instant Pot to create the ultimate Indian comfort food! This recipe is super tasty and vegetarian and vegan friendly!
Khichadi Rice and Lentils
I’m sick today so made myself a little comfort food. This Khichadi Rice and Lentils is the Indian equivalent of grilled cheese and tomato soup? It’s rice and dal, cooked together in an Instant Pot until mushy, flavored with ghee, cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt. Every little baby grows up eating this, and it’s supposed to be really easy on your stomach. I love peanuts in my version.
To make this, you’ll need some kind of daal. You want something like moong dal, or masoor dal or something that is split, not whole dal. Don’t use chana dal which won’t cook fast enough.
The combination of rice and dal makes this a complete, vegetarian protein source. Here are some examples of daal that will work (all except the one at the top right, the little brown ones, because see how that’s an entire bean, not split like the others? That’s not what you want. You want split beans like the others)
How else do people say/spell Khichadi?
You may find, when searching, that there are several ways you can spell Khichadi. Some variations of the word for this same dish may include: Khichdi, Dal Khichdi, Kitchari, Khitchari.
However you spell this delicious dish, you’re going to love eating it! Spelling doesn’t matter when it tastes so good!
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN RECIPES? CHECK OUT MYVEGAN SOOKHI URAD DALRECIPE!
And if you’re looking for more Indian vegetarian dishes, check out my 75+ EASY Indian Instant Pot Recipes post!
For additional nerd points, I can tell you that the dish/word Kedgeree is an anglicized version of the Indian khichadi. So now you know.
You want this to be mushy, but not soupy. Here’s how I made this.
Want More One Pot Pressure Cooker Meals?
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken is an easy 30-minute dinner and you can make rice on top of it, as the video shows.
- Pressure Cooker Rice and Dal is a great vegetarian rice dinner.
- This Lebanese Lentil and Rice dish is another great Vegetarian Instant Pot recipe .
- Instant Pot Indian Khichadi is comfort food in a bowl!
- Instant Pot Risotto with Shrimp is another one-pot comfort meal.
- Buffalo chicken casserole for the days you want low carb recipes
- You might also like low carb Chicken Biryani that uses riced cauliflower.
- Chicken and Mushrooms are a great combo.
- My kids love Instant Pot Pork Chops with Rice and Vegetables
- Zucchini Lasagna - You won’t even miss the pasta.
- Haluski Recipe - A wonderful cabbage and noodles recipe.
Instant Pot Khichadi Rice and Lentils
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Ghee
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
- ▢ 1/4 cup Spanish peanuts
- ▢ 3/4 cup Short Grain Rice , (such as jasmine or sona masoori)
- ▢ 1/4 cup moong dal or whatever kind of split dal you have or a mix of them
- ▢ 1 3/4 cup Water , (one and three quarters, not 13 cups of water)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Mix the rice and dal and rinse well
- Turn your Instant Pot on Sauté and high heat, and when it’s hot, add ghee
- Once the ghee melts and starts to shimmer, add the cumin seeds into the oil and wait for them to start sputtering like popcorn
- Add in the turmeric and let it sizzle so it doesn’t taste raw
- Quickly add in peanuts and stir around and then add the rice and dal
- Stir until all of it is coated with the ghee
- Pour in water, add salt, and set your Instant Pot on high for 10 minutes
- Allow NPR and open carefully. You may meed to add a 1/4 c of water at this point if the rice has absorbed all of it.
- Stir everything together and serve with additional ghee or a little yogurt on the side.
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Instant Pot Khichadi Rice and Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1/4 cup Spanish peanuts
- 3/4 cup Short Grain Rice (such as jasmine or sona masoori)
- 1/4 cup moong dal or whatever kind of split dal you have or a mix of them
- 1 3/4 cup Water (one and three quarters, not 13 cups of water)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Mix the rice and dal and rinse well
- Turn your Instant Pot on Sauté and high heat, and when it’s hot, add ghee
- Once the ghee melts and starts to shimmer, add the cumin seeds into the oil and wait for them to start sputtering like popcorn
- Add in the turmeric and let it sizzle so it doesn’t taste raw
- Quickly add in peanuts and stir around and then add the rice and dal
- Stir until all of it is coated with the ghee
- Pour in water, add salt, and set your Instant Pot on high for 10 minutes
- Allow NPR and open carefully. You may meed to add a 1/4 c of water at this point if the rice has absorbed all of it.
- Stir everything together and serve with additional ghee or a little yogurt on the side.
Instant Pot Khichadi Rice and Lentils https://twosleevers.com/pressure-cooker-khichadi-rice-lentils/
Indian rice pudding , or Indian Kheer, is made by boiling rice, milk, sugar, and tasty ingredients into a delicious pudding you can make in your Instant Pot! The Kheer will be creamy, aromatic, and crunchy from the cashews.
So here’s the deal. I made this Indian Kheer , it turned out well, but when you open the pot you’re going to be horrified and think you messed up because everything looks like a big curdled mess. It’s not. Milk separates under pressure, but to me, this is what helps thicken up the final product.
What is Indian Kheer?
Kheer is an Indian rice pudding made by boiling rice, milk, sugar and other various tasty ingredients. Though it’s typically boiled on a stovetop I’ve opted for the Instant Pot because, you know, convenience. Not to mention I’m a professed kitchen gadget fanatic.
It actually acts as an ersatz version of Khoya, which is milk solids with the water evaporated out of it. Mine also stuck to the bottom a little bit but when I stirred it all in, it just added flavor.
Indian Rice Pudding in the Instant Pot
The caramelized bits at the bottom of the Instant Pot did was make the Indian Rice Pudding taste much better than the two previous versions I made. They were fine, but they lacked a little something. Once I had made this, I realized the milk separating and caramelizing make all the difference in taste. So just keep calm, stir, add some more milk, stir up everything from the bottom, and enjoy the caramelized end product.
This Kheer has a caramel/pink tinge to it. You want this. It adds a depth of sweetness and thickness that makes this kheer bathe your tongue in creamy goodness. That pristine white you’re used to seeing in the Indian restaurants is not optimal.
How To Make Indian Rice Pudding
- Heat the ghee and when it shimmers, add the raisins and cashews. Stir and cook in the ghee until the cashews are lightly browned and the raisins are plumped.
- Add rice, milk, sweetener, and water and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow it to release pressure naturally, as this is when a lot of caramelizing will occur.
- Open it and don’t freak out at the curdled milk. Stir until it’s well-mixed, adding half and half a little at a time to thin it out. By this time, you will have a smooth, non-curdled kheer.
- Add the cardamom and chill overnight. You can eat it hot but really it’s so much better the next day.
Tips and Tricks for Indian Rice Pudding
- It is ok for it to look curdled! You want this. Stir it all together after the Instant Pot comes under pressure.
- If you have pistachios or cranberries, those would be fine to substitute as well.
- It can be served hot or cold, but I prefer it to cool and thicken and then enjoy it!
- Delicious as a leftover.
Other Indian Recipes Made in the Instant Pot
If you enjoy this Indian Kheer recipe, you’ll love this Pressure Cooker Indian Zucchini Kheer recipe. It’s just as good as my Indian Kheer recipe without all the carbs!
Do you need a main course to serve alongside Kheer? My famous Instant Pot Butter Chicken will wow any crowd you serve this to.
And if you’re looking for more Indian dessert recipes, check out my Indian Halva Recipe . It’s Vegan friendly and easy to make in your Insant Pot!
Customizing Your Indian Kheer
I like my Indian Kheer with the raisins and cashews cooked soft into it. If you prefer the cashews a little crunchy, fry them in the ghee first, and take them out. Then, finish the other steps and add them back when the Kheer is done, along with the cardamom. Use any nuts that you have on hand and need to use up.
Right before serving, I dust a little ground cardamom on the top of my bowl right before I serve with some additional half and half. The cardamom adds a minty, spicy, herbal finish to a thick and creamy rice pudding .
Indian Rice Pudding | Indian Kheer
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 2 tablespoons ) Ghee
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 36.25 g ) Raisins
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 32.25 g ) cashews
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 46.25 g ) Basmati Rice , , rinsed
- ▢ 2 cup ( 488 g ) Whole Milk
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 45.5 g ) Swerve , or sugar
- ▢ 1/2 cup ( 125 g ) Water
To finish
- ▢ 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ( 0.25 teaspoon ) Ground Cardamom
- ▢ 1/2 cup ( 121 g ) Half and Half
Instructions
Heat the ghee and when it shimmers, add the raisins and cashews. Stir and cook in the ghee until the cashews are lightly browned and the raisins are plumped.
Add rice, milk, sweetener, and water and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow it to release pressure naturally, as this is when a lot of the caramelizing will occur.
Open it and don’t freak out at the curdled milk. Stir until it’s well-mixed, adding half and half a little at a time to thin it out. By this time, you will have a smooth, non-curdled kheer.
Add the cardamom and chill overnight. You can eat it hot but really it’s so much better the next day.
Each serving is about 1/2 cup.
It is ok for it to look curdled! You want this. Stir it all together after the Instant Pot comes to pressure.
If you have pistachios or cranberries, those would be fine to substitute as well.
It can be served hot or cold, but I prefer it to cool and thicken and then enjoy it!
Delicious as a leftover.
