This Instant Pot Masala Khichdi – Gujarati Vaghareli Khichdi recipe is easy and delivers awesome results. Don’t settle for a bland Khichdi! Make it right and you’ll have everyone requesting for seconds. No Indian food blog would be complete without a Khichdi recipe, and so I perfected this one. Khichdi is one of my all-time favorites and I hope it becomes prominent in your kitchen as well.
What type of lentils have I used for Instant Pot Masala Khichdi – Gujarati Vaghareli Khichdi?
Toor dal / arhar dal (pigeon pea lentil). It is easily available on amazon or in Indian grocery stores.
Eggplant:
Indian eggplants. Purple and spherical, Indian eggplants – also known as baby eggplants – can be found in Indian grocery stores. They are small with a dark reddish-purple color. Moreover, always look for younger, smooth, shiny smaller eggplants that feel firm and are not mushy. Additionally, they should not have dull or wrinkled skin.
Pigeon Peas:
Also known as Tuvar Lilva or Gunga peas. I use Deep’s or Vadilal’s frozen Tuvar Lilva, or Tuver Lilva. It is easily available in the frozen aisle in Indian grocery stores.
What is Khichdi?
Khichdi is made with rice and lentils. It’s a savory salty rice porridge that is often served for lunch or dinner. Khichdi is made with different spices and is typically served with yogurt, pickle, ghee, or papad. There are different versions of khichdi’s. Some are super mushy, some have vegetables, while others use whole spices.
What ingredients do I need to make Instant Pot Masala Khichdi – Gujarati Vaghareli Khichdi?
Basmati rice, toor dal, oil, whole dried red chili pepper, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, serrano peppers, curry leaves, onion, Yukon gold potato, baby eggplant, frozen Tuvar Lilva, water, salt, garam masala, red chili powder, and ground turmeric.
How do I make this recipe?
Prep:
Firstly, rinse the lentils (toor dal) and rice a few times and set it aside.
Secondly, rinse and peel the potato. Chop it into 1-inch cubes. Also rinse and chop the baby Indian eggplant to 1-inch cubes and set aside.
Thirdly rinse and chop the onions finely.
Additionally, split the dried red chili pepper into 2 halves horizontally and slit each serrano pepper lengthwise into 2 halves.
Cook:
When you are ready to cook select sauté on the instant pot and add oil. Further, when the oil is hot, add the split dried red chili pepper to the oil. Furthermore, add in the mustard seeds. Next when the mustard seeds splutter add in the cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
Then add in the serrano peppers and curry leaves. Moreover, add in the chopped onions. Stir well. We will not brown the onions. So, after you add in the onions and stir add in the chopped potato, chopped eggplant, and stir well. Next add in the Tuvar lilva and stir well.
Let it sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes. Also, stir intermittently.
Further add in water, dal, rice and stir well. Additionally, add in salt, garam masala, red chili powder, and ground turmeric.
And give it a good stir. Close the lid with the pressure valve sealed. Select manual for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then quick release the pressure.
Finally, serve khichdi with yogurt, pickle, papad, or ghee.
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think. Follow us on Instagram @Fastcurries and Facebook @Fastcurries
Moreover, try some of our other recipes:
Gujarati Kadhi – Yogurt Chickpea Flour Curry
Bharwa Aloo Baingan – Instant Pot Gujarati Eggplant Curry
Paneer Pav Bhaji – Instant Pot Pav Bhaji with Paneer
Instant Pot Masala Khichdi – Gujarati Vaghareli Khichdi
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1/2 cup toor dal
- 2 tbsp oil of choice
- 1 whole dried red chili peppers
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 serrano peppers, small (hari mirch)
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 onion, small (1 cup chopped)
- 1 yukon gold potato, medium ( 1 cup chopped)
- 1 or 2 baby indian eggplants (1 cup chopped)
- 1/2 cup pigeon peas, frozen (tuvar liva)
- 4 cups water
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3/4 tsp red chili powder (cayenne pepper)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse the lentils and rice a few times and set it aside.
- Rinse and peel the potato. Chop it into 1-inch cubes. Also rinse and chop the baby Indian eggplant to 1-inch cubes and set aside.
- Rinse and chop the onions finely.
- Split the dried red chili pepper into 2 halves horizontally and slit each serrano peppers lengthwise into 2 halves.
Cook
- Select sauté on the instant pot and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the split dried red chili pepper to the oil.
- Add in the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter add in the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add in the serrano peppers and curry leaves. Moreover, add in the chopped onions. Stir well. We will not brown the onions.
- Add in the chopped potato, chopped eggplant and stir well. Next add in the Tuvar lilva and stir well. Let it sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes. Also, stir intermittently.
- Add in the water, dal, rice and stir well. Additionally, add in salt, garam masala, red chili powder, and ground turmeric.
- Give it a good stir. Close the lid with the pressure valve sealed. Select manual for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then quick release the pressure and open the lid.
- Serve khichdi with yogurt, pickle, papad, or ghee.
Notes
- You can reduce the red chili powder if you can’t handle heat. This dish is a level 3 spice on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being low and 5 being the highest.
- If you like the khichdi mushy add 1/2 cup more water, and if you like it slightly firm reduce 1/2 cup water. For this recipe, the texture is just right and is slightly mushy.
- Traditionally this recipe is made with Tuvar lilva, however if you don’t have it you can eliminate it.
Very nice I have to try tomorrow