palak khichdi recipe | palak dal khichdi | how to make palak khichdi |
by Tarla Dalal

palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | how to make palak khichdi | with 35 amazing images

Tiring day at office and looking for a quick and easy dish to make for dinner? Palak Khichdi is an ideal one-dish meal for such a day. It is healthy and stomach filling too. It is an alternative to boring normal khichdi and is protein packed, also makes a balanced meal.

Although the list of ingredients to make palak dal khichdi seems long, you will find that they are all common, everyday ingredients that you are sure to find in your Indian kitchen. It is also a good way to add spinach to the diet as spinach is rich in calcium which strengthens your bones and vitamin A and Vitamin C. We have used pureed spinach leaves, some people also prefer chopped spinach leaves. You can do that according to your preference.

We have segregated the process of making the palak khichdi in 4 steps. First is the preparation that includes washing, soaking, draining of rice and dal which is again a healthy combination. Also includes, pureeing of spinach.

The second step is the process to make palak dal khichdi. Soaked rice and dal are drained and transferred to a pressure cooker, turmeric powder and salt are added and it is pressure cooked.

The third step is making the palak dal khichdi, the process is started by tempering of ghee. Ginger and garlic paste is added for taste, I believe it gives an amazing taste to the palak khichdi. Onion, tomatoes and palak puree is added and cooked, Indian spices like red chilli powder and garam masala are added and the prepared rice and dal khichdi is added and cooked.

The final step is the tadka which enhances the taste of the palak khichdi and makes it more flavorful.

I usually make it at home once a week for a one meal dinner and when my children make a fuss about it, I simply add paneer to the dish and they hog it off without a complaint. Every household has their version of making spinach khichdi but do try our’s, we bet you’ll love it.

Enjoy palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | how to make palak khichdi | detailed step by step photos and video.

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Palak Khichdi recipe - How to make Palak Khichdi

For Palak Khichdi
2 cups rough chopped spinach (palak)
1/2 cup long grained rice (basmati)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1/2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 cardamom (elaichi)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 whole dry kashmiri red chilli , broken into pieces
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies

For Serving With Palak Khichdi
fresh curd (dahi)
papad

Method
For palak khichdi

To make palak khichdi, combine the rice and dal in a deep bowl and soak it in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain well. Keep aside.
Drain well, combine the rice, dal, turmeric powder, salt and 1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Combine the spinach and 2 tbsp of water in a mixer and blend till smooth. Keep aside.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the onions and tomatoes and sauté on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the spinach purée, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked dal-rice mixture, 1½ cups of water and salt and, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee in a small non-stick pan, add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds , curry leaves, kashmiri dry red chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the garlic and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the palak khichdi and mix well.
Serve the palak khichdi hot with fresh curds and papad.

Nutrient values (Abbrv) per serving

Energy	212 cal
Protein	4.7 g
Carbohydrates	25.1 g
Fiber	2.9 g
Fat	10.3 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	26.5 mg

Click here to view calories for Palak Khichdi

Palak Khichdi Video by Tarla Dalal

Palak Khichdi recipe with step by step photos

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Khichdi is a staple food in our country. Generally, it is made with a combination of rice and lentils. You can substitute/mix and match to form a myriad of khichdi recipes using various dals, grains, pulses etc. The health quotient can be improved with the addition of vegetables and use of healthy grains like jowar, bajra, wheat etc. Khichdi is commonly known as sick man’s food because of it’s simple yet strength giving effect. Lehsun ki chutney, freshly chopped onions, papad, pickles, curd and kadhi are some popular accompaniments served with a khichdi. Like palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | how to make palak khichdi | below are some other healthy khichdi recipes :

Preparation for palak khichdi

To make palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | how to make palak khichdi |, measure the yellow moong dal and basmati rice. Pick and clean for any stone or debri. You can use any other variety of rice like sona masuri, surti kolam too.
Wash them under running water or in a bowl of water several times. Transfer them to a deep bowl and submerge them in enough water.
Cover with a lid and soak for 30 minutes. This softens the grain and fastens the cooking process.
While the dal and rice are soaking, clean a bunch of spinach and wash it.

Place on a chopping board and cut roughly.
Transfer the spinach to a mixer jar.
Add 2 tbsp of water.
Blend this and prepare a smooth spinach puree. Keep aside. We have not blanched the spinach leaves but, if you wish to then you can.
After half an hour, drain the dal-rice well. We will now proceed to make the healthy palak khichdi.

How to make Palak Dal Khichdi

To prepare the palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi |, in a pressure cooker, add the soaked & drained rice and dal. For a healthier version, you can skip rice and use bajra & prepare a palak bajra khichdi similarly
Add turmeric powder.
Add salt and 1½ cups of water.
Mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles or until the rice & dal are nicely cooked.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

Give it a nice stir and keep aside.

How to make Palak Khichdi

For an added flavour, we will temper the palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a deep non-stick pan.
Once the ghee is hot, add the garlic and ginger paste.
Sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds or till the raw smell goes away.
Add the onions.

Add tomatoes.
Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes ,while stirring occasionally.
Add the palak puree.
Add chilli powder.
Add garam masala.

Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked dal-rice mixture.
Add salt and 1½ cups of water. You can add more or less water to adjust the consistency of Palak Khichdi as per your liking.
Mix Palak Khichdi well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.

For the tempering of Spinach Khichdi

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee in a small non-stick pan.

Once the ghee is nice hot, add the cinnamon.
Add cloves.
Add cumin seeds.
Add cardamom.
Add curry leaves. These are optional.

Add kashmiri dry red chilli and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the garlic. The toasted garlic adds a nice crunch to the palak khichdi.
Add green chillies.
Sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the prepared palak khichdi | palak dal khichdi | and mix well.