Are you looking for a warm, comforting, and highly nutritious dinner? This easy palak khichdi recipe is exactly what you need. Palak khichdi, also known as spinach lentil rice, is a classic Indian comfort food that combines the goodness of fresh spinach leaves with easy-to-digest rice and yellow moong dal. Whether you want a light meal after a long day or you are trying to feed leafy greens to picky kids, this 1-pot dish is the ultimate solution.
Packed with iron, protein, and essential vitamins, making this palak khichdi recipe is super simple. We will make it in a pressure cooker to save time and effort. It requires basic pantry ingredients and gets ready in under 30 minutes. Let us dive into the step-by-step process of making the best healthy palak khichdi at home!
Also Read: Easy Palak Rice Recipe | Quick Spinach Pulao Step-by-Step
Ingredients List
- 1 flat cup rice (Kolam, Ambe Mohar, Indrayani, or any broken rice)
- 2 to 2.5 tablespoons yellow moong dal (split green gram)
- 1 ladle ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 small tomato (finely chopped)
- 6 garlic cloves, 0.5 inch ginger, and 1 green chilli (crushed into a fresh paste)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (or whole spices like 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, and 2 black peppercorns)
- 1 large bowl of chopped fresh spinach (palak)
- 10 to 12 spinach leaves (pureed in a mixer with 0.5 cup water)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander leaves
- 4 to 5 cups of water
Step-by-step Instructions
- Wash the Rice and Dal: In a bowl, mix 1 cup of rice and 2.5 tablespoons of moong dal. Wash them 2 to 3 times with clean water and set them aside.
- Prepare the Base: Heat 1 ladle of ghee in a pressure cooker over a medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add Aromatics: Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 pinch of asafoetida, and curry leaves. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté until it turns light pink (you can skip the onion if you prefer).
- Sauté Masalas: Add the crushed ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Then, add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 chopped tomato. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add Spices and Spinach: Stir in 1 teaspoon of cumin-coriander powder and 1 teaspoon of garam masala. Add 1 large bowl of chopped spinach and cook until the leaves shrink and wilt.
- Add Spinach Puree: Pour in the pureed spinach paste (made from 10 to 12 spinach leaves). Mix well, and add salt to taste along with chopped coriander leaves.
- Add Rice and Water: Add the washed rice and dal mixture into the cooker. Pour 4 to 5 cups of water depending on how soupy you want your easy palak khichdi recipe to be.
- Cook the Khichdi: Mix everything well and let the water come to a boil. Close the cooker lid, turn the gas flame to low, and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
- Serve: Let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker, give it a good stir, and serve hot!
Also Read: Quick And Easy Tomato Rice Recipe | Best Indian Flavours
Cooking Tips
- Using a mix of both chopped spinach and a puree made from 10 to 12 leaves gives the khichdi a beautiful green colour and an amazing texture.
- Do not skip the ghee. Cooking khichdi in pure ghee enhances its flavour and aroma significantly compared to oil.
- If you are making this for someone who is sick or elderly, skip the heavy masalas and green chillies. Just use a little bit of turmeric, salt, and cumin.
Variations
- Vegan Version: Replace ghee with regular cooking oil or a vegan butter alternative.
- Spicy Version: Add 1 extra chopped green chilli or 0.5 teaspoon of red chilli powder along with the dry spices.
- Kids-Friendly Version: Skip the green chilli entirely. Top the final dish with 1 extra spoon of ghee and some grated cheese to make it exciting for children.
- Garlic Tadka Palak Khichdi: Prepare a separate tempering of ghee, cumin seeds, and 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, and pour it over the hot khichdi right before eating.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the hot palak khichdi with a generous drizzle of homemade ghee on top.
- Pair it with a roasted urad dal papad and a spoonful of spicy mango pickle or fresh green chillies.
- A simple cucumber, tomato, and onion salad (koshimbir) or plain yogurt goes great with this comforting dish.
Also Read: Easy Paneer Rice Recipe: Quick, Delicious & Healthy
FAQs
Q1: Which rice is best for making an easy palak khichdi recipe?
A: Short-grain rice varieties like Kolam, Ambe Mohar, or Indrayani work best because they easily become soft and mushy. You can also use regular broken rice.
Q2: Can I make this khichdi without a pressure cooker?
A: Yes! You can cook it in an open pot. Just cover it with a lid and cook on low heat until the rice and lentils are completely soft. It will take around 20 to 25 minutes.
Q3: Is palak khichdi good for weight loss?
A: Yes, it is low in calories and packed with dietary fibre, iron, and protein. Just control the amount of ghee you add at the end.
Q4: Can I make it without onions and garlic?
A: Absolutely! You can easily make a Jain version by skipping the onion, ginger, and garlic. The tomato and cumin tempering will still make it taste great.
Q5: What is the correct water ratio for soft khichdi?
A: For every 1 cup of your dry rice and dal mixture, use 4 to 5 cups of water to get a perfectly soft, semi-liquid texture.
Easy Palak Khichdi Recipe: Perfect Comfort Food for Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 flat cup rice Kolam, Ambe Mohar, Indrayani, or any broken rice
- 2 to 2.5 tablespoons yellow moong dal split green gram
- 1 ladle ghee clarified butter
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida hing
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 small tomato finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves 0.5 inch ginger, and 1 green chilli (crushed into a fresh paste)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or whole spices like 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, and 2 black peppercorns
- 1 large bowl of chopped fresh spinach palak
- 10 to 12 spinach leaves pureed in a mixer with 0.5 cup water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander leaves
- 4 to 5 cups of water
Instructions
- Wash the Rice and Dal: In a bowl, mix 1 cup of rice and 2.5 tablespoons of moong dal. Wash them 2 to 3 times with clean water and set them aside.
- Prepare the Base: Heat 1 ladle of ghee in a pressure cooker over a medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add Aromatics: Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 pinch of asafoetida, and curry leaves. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté until it turns light pink (you can skip the onion if you prefer).
- Sauté Masalas: Add the crushed ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste. Sauté well. Then, add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 chopped tomato. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add Spices and Spinach: Stir in 1 teaspoon of cumin-coriander powder and 1 teaspoon of garam masala. Add 1 large bowl of chopped spinach and cook until the leaves shrink and wilt.
- Add Spinach Puree: Pour in the pureed spinach paste (made from 10 to 12 spinach leaves). Mix well, and add salt to taste along with chopped coriander leaves.
- Add Rice and Water: Add the washed rice and dal mixture into the cooker. Pour 4 to 5 cups of water depending on how soupy you want your easy palak khichdi recipe to be.
- Cook the Khichdi: Mix everything well and let the water come to a boil. Close the cooker lid, turn the gas flame to low, and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
- Serve: Let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker, give it a good stir, and serve hot!
