Food Talk: The one-pot comfort meal
The protein-rich shola khichdi from the shahi dastarkhwaan of Nawab of Surat is both nutritious and reinvigorating
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Whenever a rice dish is discussed, heat is generated in the battle royale between pulao and biryani. This raises more heat and dust than throwing any useful light on the subject. Then, there is khichdi that dates back to the Vedic period and finds favour with our Anglo-Indian rulers. There is another category of rice and lentil dishes that are nutritious and no less tasty. Khichda, harisa and shola khichdi belong to this genre. Haleem is a lookalike but prepared with wheat.
Our current favourite is shola khichdi that combines four or five lentils, all protein-rich, cooked with spinach and flavourful mutton. Those who eschew meat can substitute with paneer, jackfruit or yam. The recipe we share with our readers this time is from the kitchens of the port city Surat, where this humble dish found its way to the shahi dastarkhwaan of the local Nawab. It is not difficult to cook (in this age of pressure cooking), is quite rich but very tempting in the winter season when whatever we eat can be easily digested.
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Shola khichdi aka khichda
Ingredients
Rice 250 gm
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Toor dal 50 gm
Moong dal (husked, split) 25 gm
Chana dal (split) 25 gm
Urad dal (husked) 25 gm
Malka masoor (husked) 25 gm
Mutton (with bones) 500 gm
Palak 250 gm
Pudina sprig 1 large
Green chillies 8-10
Cumin powder 2 tsp
Coriander powder 4 tsp
Red chilli powder 2 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Ghee /butter 1 cup
Onions 500 gm
Garlic-ginger paste 2 tbsp
Tomato 400 gm
Bay leaf 1
Cinnamon stick 1x2 inch piece
Brown cardamom 1
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 2-3
Black peppercorns ½ tsp
Lemon juice ½ tsp
Salt To taste
Method
Clean, wash the palak, dhania and pudina. Wipe clean the green chillies.
Clean the rice and lentils, soak in water for about 30 minutes. Then, boil in a pressure cooker with the palak, mint leaves and green chillies till four whistles. Keep aside.
Peel and thinly slice the onions. Quarter the tomatoes. Wash and pat dry the meat.
Heat ghee/butter in another pressure cooker and add half-sliced onions and carefully brown these on low medium heat, stirring continuously. Do not let onions become dark. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen towel to remove excess fat.
In the same pressure cooker, put in the whole spices, stirring briskly and add half the garlic-ginger paste. Add meat and stir till the meat is well browned and the raw smell goes. Put in chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1½ tsp red chilli powder, along with salt and garam masala. Stir well to mix. Pour in 4 cups of hot water and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles. Allow it to cool and let the pressure come down on its own.
Remove the lid from the pressure cooker in which khichdi was cooked. Add all the remaining powdered spices, salt, ginger-garlic paste. Take half the fried onions, mix well with the back of ladle and add in the cooked meat.
Cook covered but without pressure on low medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring in between, adding half of the remaining fried onions and pouring in the lemon juice. Check and adjust seasoning.
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a ladle. When hot, add cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, pour over the shola khichdi. Garnish with the remaining fried onions, finely chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and lemon wedges. Enjoy the one-pot comfort meal.
— The writer is a food historian
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