Vegetable Khichuri - Vegetables, Rice & Lentil Stew

Vegetable Khichuri
Garnished with Deep-Fried Onions

Vegetable Khichuri 
Garnished with Eggs

Khichuri made with eggplant and green beans. First rice and lentils were cooked with ginger and garlic pastes, salt and touch of turmeric. Diced green beans and diced tomatoes were added when rice and lentils were cooked. In a separate pan, cubed eggplants were fried with more ginger and garlic, onions and tomatoes and a pinch of hing. This was poured over the khichuri and served with eggs and deep-fried onions.

Khichuri in the Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup red lentils

1 russet potato, cut in bite-sized cubes

1/4 tsp. turmeric

salt to taste
1 + 1 tsp. ginger paste
1 + 1 tsp. garlic paste

1/2 lb. green beans, diced

2 Japanese eggplant, cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 large tomato, diced
1/4 tsp. hing/asafetida powder

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. cumin or shah jeera seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 large black cardamom, split
chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. ghee or butter (optional)

4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered (optional)

Deep-fried onions and garlic

Directions:

1. Wash rice and lentils until water runs clear and transfer to pressure cooker.
2. Cover with enough water to measure 2/3 of the middle finger above rice and lentils, about 5 (8 oz.) cups.
3. Add potatoes, turmeric, salt to taste, half ginger and garlic pastes.
4. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes under full pressure.
5. Remove pressure cooker from heat and allow all steam to escape.
6. Add beans and tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until beans are tender.
7. Add oil to a saucepan and sputter cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamoms.
8. Fry eggplant until golden brown, add onions and hing.
9. Stir-fry until onions turn translucent.
10. Pour contents of saucepan over rice and lentils and stir in cilantro.
11. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with ghee, eggs, deep-fried onions and garlic.

Serve steaming hot.