Instant Pot Khichdi | Green Moong Dal Khichdi

If you want to make a quick, comforting one-pot meal, Instant Pot Khichdi is the perfect option. This one-pot Green Moong & Vegetable Khichdi is a popular dish in India and is one of the easiest options when you want to have a quick wholesome meal. During winters, I like to settle with a bowl of Khichdi and pickle on lazy evenings. I guess it’s the same with most of you!

What is Khichdi

Each region of India and almost every household have their own way of making khichdi. But in general, Khichdi is nothing but a delicious, nutritious Indian style savoury porridge made using rice and lentils. It is mildly spicy, mushy and it is very light on the stomach. Khichdi is packed with goodness. Rice, Lentils and Vegetables make it a wholesome & filling meal. Most often in Indian households, Khichdi is prepared when we fall sick. That is because it is easy to chew and digest.

As a child, I was never a fan of khichdi because it was served mainly when I fell sick. I got a feeling that we should eat it only when we are sick. Haha. But later as I grew up, I understood the convenience behind preparing this dish. It is one of the coziest meals out there.

Instant Pot Khichdi

Who doesn’t love one-pot meals? Additionally, Instant Pot makes the job very convenient. That is one reason why I love my Instant Pot and use it a lot these days. If there is one thing I hate, it is having a sink full of dishes. Even though my dishwasher does this job, just the sight of those vessels puts me off. LOL. The biggest advantage of preparing such one-pot meals is having fewer dishes to wash.

Each household has its own way of preparing khichdi. The taste and consistency totally depend on the individual’s preference. While some like it to be really mushy, I prefer a little grainy khichdi and not the mushy types. The Instant Pot or a traditional stovetop pressure cooker ensures that perfect consistency. You need less than 30 minutes to make this khichdi and the outcome is so delicious.

What I am sharing here is a mildly spicy, not so mushy khichdi which is how we prefer in our household. This can easily be altered to your taste. Skip the red chilli powder and green chillies to avoid spice. Skip the whole spices to avoid extra flavouring. Add more waterfor a mushy , porridge consistency. Skip the vegetables to make it simpler. The options are endless!

Benefits of Khichdi

Healthy & Wholesome. Has Rice, Dal & a bunch of healthy vegetables.

Easy to chew and Digest. The ingredients and consistency makes it perfect for everyone from kids to aged people.

Perfect for sick days. It is light on the stomach and easy to digest.

Vegetarian & Gluten free. To make this Vegan, replace ghee with oil.

Versatile Dish. Rice can be replaced with millets or quinoa. Green Moong Dal can be replaced with Toor dal, Masoor Dal, Chana Dal or Yellow Moong Dal. I have added onion, tomato, carrot, peas and potato to this khichdi. You can add spinach, beans, cauliflower, corn too!

Can I make this in stovetop Pressure Cooker

Yes! Not having an Instant Pot should not stop you from trying this comfort dish. My mom has always made this in a stovetop pressure cooker and so did I till I moved to Instant Pot recently.

What is the perfect texture for Khichdi

Like I mentioned earlier, the consistency of the khichdi depends on how you prefer. Some like the mushy, porridge consistency while some like it is slightly solid. Based on the consistency you prefer, you may have to adjust the amount of water.

Serving Suggestions for Instant Pot Khichdi

I personally love eating Khichdi on its own just with a dollop of ghee on top. But you can also serve it with a cup of curd or raita of your choice.

Any spicy pickle is another yummy combination for Khichdi.

You can serve khichdi along with a Papad.

Since khichdi already has a bunch of vegetables, I don’t prefer vegetables for a side. But you can serve it with your choice of vegetable stir fry too!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Khichdi

Rice & Green Moong Dal – These are the main ingredients for Khichdi. In this recipe, I have used raw rice and whole green moong dal.

Ghee – I personally feel khichdi is incomplete without some generous addition of ghee. If you want it to be a Vegan dish, feel free to use oil.

Vegetables – Onion, Tomato, Carrot, Potato, Peas are added to this khichdi. It adds to the taste and nutrition of this dish. This is completely optional. Feel free to skip the vegetables or add the ones of your choice.

Green Chillies – Gives a mild spice punch to the dish. If you are making this for someone who doesn’t like spice or for kids, you can avoid green chillies.

Whole Spices – I have added Cumin seeds, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon and cardamom . This is completely optional but I love the aroma of fresh whole spices in this dish.

Other Ingredients – Salt, Turmeric Powder and Chilli Powder. I like adding them in the khichdi but you can avoid the chilli powder since green chillies are already added. If you are omitting green chillies, add a bit of red chilli powder for spice. (Unless you want a completely bland khichdi)
Lemon Juice for a bit of tanginess and cilantro for garnishing.

Step by Step Instructions for Instant Pot Khichdi(Refer Recipe notes for stovetop version)

Wash and Soak the rice and dal together for 30 minutes. Slit the green chillies, slice the onins and cut the vegetables to be used.

Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Add ghee. Once it is melted, add the whole spices. Saute for 30 seconds or till a mild and nice aroma comes. Add the sliced onion and slit green chillies. Saute till the onion turns light brown. Add chopped tomato and saute till it turns slightly mushy. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder & salt. Saute for a minute.

Add the vegetables and saute for a minute. Now, discard the water used for soaking and add the dal, rice to the Instant Pot. Add water. Check for salt and spice. Give a quick mix. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and close the lid with the pressure valve to the sealing position. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer for 12 mins. Once done, release pressure after 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

You can also try Rasam Rice, Sambar Rice for easy and comfort meal options.

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