Khichuri-Food for the Soul

Khichuri, a traditional dish from the Indian sub-continent is the soul food for Indians living across the length and breadth of the country. It would perhaps not be wrong to say that khichuri qualifies as the nation’s favourite comfort food, owing to the convenience of being cooked in a single pot with two basic ingredients available in all Indian households -rice and lentils (dal). Khichuri bears a rich history and its origin in India can be traced way back in 1200 BC. It survived and flourished through the times of rulers like Chandragupta Maurya, travellers like Megasthenes and diplomats like Kautalya who mentioned it in their travelogues and treatises. The Mughals who invaded India and the English since the days of the Raj loved it. Ingredients added to khichuri depends on purpose. Since the Nizams in Hyderabad, khichuri is cooked in Andhra Pradesh by adding meat. In coastal Maharashtra, prawn is added to the dish. However, when cooked for someone recuperating from illness or a weaning baby, khichuri is cooked blander, with fewer spices to aid digestion. Khichuri is quite an adaptable dish, symbolising contentedness and wealth, as Indians welcome the whole world as a family. Khichuri has also travelled across the globe. An anglicised version in the UK is called kedgeree and is made using rice, boiled egg and haddock. In the New England states (USA), it is prepared with cod which is in abundant supply. In Egypt the same dish is called koshary. Hence, whatever one may call it; khichuri still retains its uniqueness and beauty with rice, dal, vegetables, fish or meat being added to it. Khichuri is also an extremely healthy and balanced meal. The rice and the dal provide the carbohydrates and protein added with vitamins and minerals from vegetables. A dollop of clarified butter (ghee) provides the fat as deeply fried accompaniments such as poppadum (papad), omelette or fried vegetables as onion, potato, eggplant, etc., as side dish with sweet and sour oil-based pickles (achaar) from fruits, vegetables or meat.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet