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Brown Rice Mung Bean Kitchari – Mung Bean Stew in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Easy Khichdi. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Nut-free Indian Recipe.
Kitchari/khichdi is a one pot rice and lentil meal with many variations and the ways it is served. Often is it a light cleansing food made for days you want to rest your digestion, or just a one pot dish for a quick meal. Depending on the region, it can be an elaborate preparation, comfort food or a gourmet meal as well. Khichdi means a mess and thats what the dish generally is. A well cooked mess or mixed up rice and lentils (and vegetables if using)
The lighter version of khichdi with mung dal (split mung bean) and basmati rice can be found in my book. That version has been in the family for generations, and takes just a few minutes in the pressure cooker.
For the version today I use whole green mung beans and brown basmati rice. You can cook it just till the beans and rice are tender for a stew or longer for a creamier kitchari.
Do you use a pressure cooker? If not, why not? Pressure cooking has been used for Indian food for ages with the basic stove top pressure cookers. Pressure Cookers these days are safer and easier to use, programmable and versatile with functions to use as slow-cooker, making yogurt etc.
More one pot stews/meals from the blog
- Bisi Bele Bath Pressure Cooker Split Pea Brown Rice Soup
- Pressure Cooker Curried Chickpea stuffed Acorn Squash and…
- Curried Chickpea Rice Pulao – One Pot Pilaf
Steps:
I used an Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 
Soak the beans and rice for atleast 15 minutes. Blend the onions, tomato, garlic, ginger, spices with a few tbsp of water until puree and keep aside.
Start the IP on saute at normal heat.
When hot, add oil to the IP insert, let the oil heat up for a few seconds, then add cumin seeds. Roast the seeds for half a minute or until fragrant.
Add the tomato onion puree carefully, stir and cook until the puree thickens and smells roasted. 5- 7 minutes.
Switch the saute to off.
Drain the beans and rice and add to the IP. Add water, salt, lemon juice. Mix.
Close the lid. Press Manual and adjust time for 10 minutes.
The IP will start, and show “On” and then count down from 10 minutes when the pressure has reached.
Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Or if you are in a hurry. Try the quick release after 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and spice. The kitchari is soupy when just done and it continues to thicken as it cools. If you end up with soupier kitchari everytime, use less water (3.5 cups)and the grains and beans can absorb liquid differently for several reasons.
Serve hot with crackers or toasted bread.
Brown Rice Mung Bean Kitchari - Mung Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mung beans, dry whole green mung beans
- 1/2 cup brown basmati rice
- 1/2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 medium tomato
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 - 4 cups water, less for thicker and more for soupier
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3/4 to 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Soak the beans and rice for atleast 15 minutes. Soak at this step as the next few steps take 15 to 20 minutes
- Blend the onions, tomato, garlic, ginger, spices with a few tbsp of water to a smooth puree and keep aside. Or chop the onion garlic ginger and tomato
- Start the Instant Pot (IP) on saute at normal heat.
- When hot, add oil, let the oil heat up for a few seconds, then add cumin seeds. Roast the seeds for half a minute or until fragrant.
- Add the puree carefully, stir and cook until the puree thickens and smells roasted. 5-7 minutes. Switch the saute to off.(Alternatively, add onion garlic and ginger and cook for 4 minutes then add chopped tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mash larger tomato pieces. Deglaze with stock as needed)
- Drain the beans and rice and add to the IP. Add water, salt, lemon juice. Mix. Add chopped veggies if you like.
- Close the lid. Press pressure cook and adjust time for 14 minutes. (or pressure cook for 14 minutes after the pressure has reached in stove top pressure cookers ). * Brown Basmati Rice soaked for 15 minutes will cook in the 10-14 minute time for a just cooked texture. You might need to cook longer depending on the rice used (15 to 20 mins) as well as the preferred texture. Traditional kitchari usually has slightly overdone rice and lentils as it should be lighter on the digestion
- The IP will start heating, and show "On" and then count down the minutes when the pressure has reached.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Or if you are are in a hurry. Try the quick release after 5 to 7 minutes. * If the rice or beans are not cooked to preference, you can cook them on saute until they are tender.
- Taste and adjust salt and spice. Serve hot with some chutneys or yogurt, crackers or toasted bread.
Notes
To make this in a saucepan: follow all the steps in till Step 6 . Add 4.5 cups of water, Cover the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes then reduce to medium low and cook for 20 minutes. Stir once in between. Add more water if needed and cook longer if needed.
To make this in a stove top Pressure cooker: Cook all the steps in a pressure cooker over medium heat through step 6. Add the beans, rice and water, close the lid, Pressure cook for 10 minutes once the pressure has reached.(or 1 whistle on high and 8 minutes on medium low heat).. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can i add sweet potatoes too?
great idea – just dice them on the smaller side
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. Is it important to use fresh ginger or can I get away using powdered ginger?
sure just add it in with the cumin and use 1 1/4 tsp!
Delicious! First cold night in Connecticut; it was perfect!
Saw your recipe on this website with no credit for your efforts. https://recipesinstantpot.com/brown-rice-mung-bean-kitchari-mung-bean-stew-instant-pot/?unapproved=958&moderation-hash=c1bc30f76f90d811bb2d55bcb60a147d#comment-958
Thanks for letting me know!
Just received a large bag of mung bean from instacart delivery (need to self isolate) and looking for ways to use it all. This recipe looks amazing. I don’t have any rice. Can I substitute quinoa or chickpea pasta maybe? I don’t mind a mushy stew.
Many thanks!
quinoa will work but will get mushy. use a heartier grain if you have it like wild rice, barley etc. or just add more mung beans instetad
Could you suggest other seasoning (maybe more kid-friendly) for a brown rice/mung beans kitchari? I made it today and, though I personally really loved it, the flavoring didn’t work for my kiddos. They did love the texture, just not the flavors. Would everything else remain the same if I changed the spices? Thank you so much.
yes change itt up. you can use some italian herbs and black pepper, add a bit more tomato, so its more like a minestrone flavor, or use cajun seasoning etc
Wonderful ideas! Could you please please suggest specific amounts of the spices? Thank you!!
Delicious recipe! I’d never cooked with mung beans before and will definitely be eating them more often now. I made it yesterday during “Stay at Home” orders due to COVID-19 and this was a perfect recipe to make using only pantry staples! I would have stirred in some frozen peas or other greens but I forgot. I served it with some sautéed bok choy and some frozen Aloo Paratha that had been hanging out for awhile. Thanks for an easy and tasty recipe! 🙂
How would I make this with masoor dal?
try this recipe. https://fettabbau-trim.today/2017/12/khichdi-jar-mixed-vegetable-kitchari-mix-instant-pot.html%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> you cant use masoor dal with brown rice as the cooking times dont match. 17 mins for brown rice while masoor dal needs 2-3 mins under pressure.
I am making your recipe now. Here I was thinking it’d be ok to substitute white rice for brown rice because I don’t really like brown rice. But after reading some comments I now realize that would screw up the cooking time of the rice because white rice cooks faster. Hopefully it turns out good even with soggy rice 🙂
oh no. You can always press cancel and start again with reduced time. The rice will be mush 🙂
try this one for white rice https://fettabbau-trim.today/2017/12/khichdi-jar-mixed-vegetable-kitchari-mix-instant-pot.html%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Dang, it’s entirely mush. The weird thing is that even the mung beans are mush too.
did you use mung beans? the green ones?
I had high hopes for this especially as I’d never made anything with Mung Beans.. The color was more yellow that what your photos show and thicker. One child thought it was ok, the other asked that I not make it again. I’ll look for another one of your recipes to try.
hmm maybe you have the wrong beans? what did they look like?
the stew shouldnt be too yellow or thick, That might happenif you use split mung beans that cook quicker.
here is a picture listing of beans and lentils https://fettabbau-trim.today/indian-dals-names%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
try my lasagna soup or other ip recipes here https://fettabbau-trim.today/category/instant-pot%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E