Chronicles of Khichadi
Some of the best childhood memories are those of
bedtime stories. Be it by grandparents or parents, it was difficult to be awake
till the end. Thanks to the gentle strokes or head massage that came along , I
used to be in fairy land or fighting with demons much before the stories were
concluded. Some of the fascinating stories were those of Akbar & Birbal. Going
by his famous story “Khichadi Pakata Hoon”, khichadi seems to have a long
presence in our history.
Khichadi is just not simple a mix of rice & dal (lentils)
cooked with some spices. In South India, it comes in the form of Pongal rice
with blend of black pepper. In Central & North India, it comes with a
serving of kadhi or buttermilk or curd , depending on the season. The taste
& texture is obviously different , thanks to a variety of spices which are
used.
For trekkers , khichadi means the simplest &
wholesome meal that can be easily cooked while one is away in the mountains.
There have been at least three different treks with some of the best memories
of khichadi.
It was a Sinhgad-Rajgad trek (Pune region) way back in
Oct 1985. It is a beautiful trek in post monsoon season when the entire hilly
region is covered with green carpet laced with amazing variety of flowers. By
the time we reached the top of Sinhgad fort, it was getting dark. We managed to
secure a place in a temple’s shed for overnight halt & preparation for
khichadi. With great difficulty we could collect some dry wood, thanks to just
concluded monsoon. It was quite dark now & khichadi was getting ready with
the help of torches. Suddenly someone noticed presence of small fly like
creatures normally seen in this season & are attracted towards the light.
In the absence of a lid to cover the cooking pot, we were sure to have a
delicacy similar to Non-veg Chinese fried rice , much before Chinese food
became available in India.
Another memorable encounter with khichadi was in Sar
Pass trek in May 2012. We reached camp site at Zirmi, approx 10,000 ft above
sea level around tea time. Most of the camp sites in this trek are remote
places & ration is supplied with the help of porters & mules. Bad
weather can disrupt these supply lines. Our camp leader told us about shortage
of ration. One participant from Gujarat assured him that she will do her best with
the available supplies. Around 7 pm, we were ready for moon light dinner with
snow capped peaks surrounding us. In that chilly weather, what was served was a
real blast …… awesome khichadi with a spicy tomato-onion gravy. Unforgettable
memories !
It was Darjeeling Sandakhu Trek in Dec 2013
& we had reached at Sandakphu around 2 pm. It is the highest point in
Darjeeling district offering a 360 degree view of The Mount Everest – Makalu –
Nuptse , The Kanchanjunga Range &
some of the Himalayan peaks in Sikkim. Wind blows at 120 kmph after 3 pm and
brings in shivering cold at night when the temperature drops below zero degree
Celsius. Our night halt was in a guest house owned by a Nepali family. Around
7.30 pm , the dinner bell rang & we were surprised to have hot-delicious
khichadi prepared by our host. With our tummies full & bodies warmed with
the spicy experience , we quickly slipped in to the blankets with dreams of Sun
rise from Sandakphu at 5 am the next day.
Back home , khichadi has also been a part of my adventures
in to the kitchen. I usually prepare a simple variety with oats.
The
Sprouts & Oats Khichadi
Ingredients:-
Three
tbsp of each of rice (rinsed ,washed & drained) & sprouted green moong and
two tbsp of oats ,One tsp oil, half tsp mustard seeds, half tsp turmeric
powder, 8/10 curry leaves, One & half tsp Maharashtrian style masala
(called Goda masala) or Sambhar powder, Salt to taste, a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
Method
In a pressure pan, heat oil & mustard seeds. When
it splutters ,add curry leaves & turmeric powder, hing & sauté for a while. Add rice, sprouted
moong, oats & sauté for a minute or two. Add water. If oats are used then
quantity of water should be atleast 3 times the quantity of rice, moong, oats
taken together by volume. This ensures good consistency of khichadi when
cooked. Once the water starts bubbling, add Goda masala or sambhar powder &
salt to taste. Mix well. Close the lid of pressure pan. Usually 3 whistles are
good enough.
Serve hot with a spoon of ghee.
P.S.. I have a Earthenware pressure cooker by Mitticool... its a wonderful experience to cook n enjoy food made in earthenware pots.
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