Panchmail Dal Khichadi (Five lentil Mix Khichadi)

• Servings: 4-5
• Preparation time: 5 minutes.
• Cooking time: 8-10 minutes.
• Tempering time: 10 minutes.
• Total time: 25 minutes.

I often cook “Panchmail Dal khichadi (Five lentil Mix Khichadi)” whenever I’m in the mood for a light and comforting meal that soothes the stomach. The blend of five lentils with soft rice and tempered with ghee, feels nourishing and wholesome without being heavy.

It’s my go-to dish on days when I want something simple yet satisfying.

I prefer to temper the Khichdi with lots of ghee and thinly sliced onions, which adds a rich flavour. As the onions turn golden and caramelised in the ghee, their aroma fills the kitchen, making the khichdi even more tempting.

This simple twist  and generous use of ghee not only enhances the taste but also gives the khichdi more soothing and satisfying, turning a humble meal into something truly special.

“Panchmail Khichadi” is a traditional and wholesome one-pot dish that holds a special place in Indian cuisine, especially in Rajasthani cuisine. The name “Panchmail” (also known as “Panchratna”) comes from the combination of five different lentils.

It is often served with kadhi, pickles, papad, or a dollop of ghee on top, making it a comforting and complete meal.

Ingredients

• Moong/Mung Dal (Split Green Gram): 2 tablespoon
• Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram): 2 tablespoon
• Toovar Dal (Split Pigeon pea): 2 tablespoon
• Masur Dal ( Split Red Lentil): 2 tablespoon
• Moong/Mung Dal with skin (Split Green Gram with skin) or Urad Dal (Black Gram): 2 tablespoon
• Rice (preferably basmati): 1 cup
• Salt: 1 teaspoon to taste
• Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Water: 4 cups

For Tempering:

• Ghee (Clarified Butter): 4-5 tablespoon
• Cumin: 1 teaspoon
• Bay Leaf: 1-2 no.
• Mustard seeds (optional): 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chilli: 1 no. (optional)
• Tomato: 1 small
• Onion: 1 no. (Medium)
• Fresh coriander leaves: for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Chop onion and tomato, keep aside.
2. Wash all five dals and rice thoroughly. Soak them together for 30 minutes.

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker, add soaked dal-rice mix, turmeric powder, salt, and 4 cups of water. Pressure cook for only one whistle.
2. Adjust water later based on how thick or thin you want the khichdi.

Tempering:

1. In a pan, heat ghee. Add cumin, bay leaf, dry red chillies, sputter for few seconds; add  chopped onion, stir fry on high flame for couple of minutes.
2. Add tomato, continue to cook until soft.
3. Add cooked dal and rice mix for tempering; stir everything together. If it’s too thick, add warm water to desired consistency let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves & Serve.
5. Top with a spoonful of ghee.
6. Serve hot with kadhi, curd, pickles, papad, or buttermilk as per your wish.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Panchmail Dal Khichadi (Five lentil Mix Khichadi) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.