Methi Khichdi

This is one traditional recipe I learnt from my mother-in-law on my recent trip home. This is essentially a winter dish made when new rice is harvested in the fields. Since it uses fenugreek seeds, which induces heat it is made quite often during the harsh winters of North India. My mother-in-law tells me it was had as a breakfast item in the villages during winters. It would be served at dawn when the men folk would return from the mosque after the Fajr namaaz.

This week while grocery shopping I chanced upon new rice which is not so easily available. I guess it is available now as Sankranti, the harvest festival is just round the corner. We had it for dinner tonight. 

Ingredients

2.5 cups of new rice

6 cups of water,

1.5 tbsp fenugreek seeds,

2 tbsps mustard oil,

Salt to taste,

Ghee for serving

Method

Soak the fenugreek seeds for about half an hour in water.

Wash the rice. Heat the mustard oil in a pressure cooker, when it is smoking add the soaked and strained fenugreek seeds. Fry for about a minute. Then add the washed rice and salt to taste. Add the water and close the cooker.

Let it cook for one whistle on high flame and lower the flame. Wait for another two whistles on low flame. Switch off the flame and let the pressure release on its own.

Serve hot with a dollop of ghee on top. Goes well with a spicy chutney, I served it with a red chilli and posta chutney.