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Khichdi – also called kitchari – is a cozy lentil rice stew, and khichdi in a jar is a great gift to introduce this delicious Indian comfort food to your loved ones! Empty jar into saucepan or instant pot and cook! This post was originally published December 2017. It has been updated with new pictures and video
Table of Contents
Khichdi or kitchari is dal and rice risotto-like preparation that usually is very lightly spiced and served as light meal when you are sick or just to give the digestion a break with a simple nourishing meal.
The gift jar is packed with lentils, rice, and spices that you can simply empty into a pot of veggies and water and cook on the stove or in your Instant Pot. It’s a super simple recipe, and since you pack the spices separately from the rice and lentils, your recipient can wash the rice and lentils without losing any of that amazing flavor!
The most basic version of khichdi is less spiced, with just one or two spices. It is kind of an analog for chicken noodle soup. It’s a simple mildly spiced light meal. You can add different spices, vegetables, tomato etc to make it an even heartier meal. The basic version is in my first book, and this kitchari jar recipe is adapted from it.
Khichdi is generally overcooked to be more of a mash/porridge like for easy digestion. You can however adjust the texture by adjusting the cooking time. I give you a range of cooking time based on your preference. Cook it for less time for the grains and lentils to retain shape and cook a longer for a porridge. I use split lentils(petite yellow(moong dal) or red lentils(masoor dal) and white basmati rice. The lentils and rice have similar cook time and are hence paired. With brown rice you’d need to pair with longer cooking whole brown lentils ke mung beans. See my hearty green moong and brown rice version .
This bottled up kitchari makes a great gift. It’s perfect to introduce friends to Indian food even if they don’t have Indian spices, great to gift fora quick dump and done meal, and also to gift to yourself! You will want to make and eat lots of kitchari after the big holiday meals, and the jar reduces the active time to just about five minutes. It’s great to just have around for quick weeknight dinners! Add some chopped veggies in with the jar ingredients for a nourishing lentil rice stew.
To cook from the jar, Empty the contents into your Instant pot or a saucepan, add whatever veggies you like, add water and simmer until the lentils and rice are cooked to your liking! Serve as-is or with some chutneys or papadum/crackers.
You can also make this into a stew/curry by adding some non-dairy milk along with the water.
Why You’ll Love Khichdi/Kitchari in a Jar
- makes a great holiday gift!
- prepared khichdi is a perfect, soothing meal to balance out all of the rich holiday food
- jars are simple to assemble
- perfect to introduce people to Indian food even if they don’t have Indian pantry
- perfect gift for anyone as it’s a quick dump and done meal
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
More Jar Mixes
Khichdi in a Jar (Indian Lentil Rice Stew)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Jar
- 3/4 cup long grain white basmati rice
- 3/4 cup quick cooking lentils such as petite yellow (moong dal) or split Red lentils, , (I generally use half moong dal and half red lentils)
For the Spices
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, , or more
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 or 2 Indian bay leaves
To Cook
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 to 2 cups chopped vegetables
- water, (depends on method of cooking,, see instructions)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- cilantro, lemon juice and pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
Assemble the Jar (See below to make directly.)
- Layer the rice and lentils.
- Toast the cumin seeds and cloves on stovetop over medium heat until cumin seeds change color slightly. 1 minute. This step is optional. (Toasted cumin seeds add a deeper flavor and also allow you to skirt the extra step of roasting the spice mix in oil before adding lentils. You can cook the Khichdi in 1 step.) Cool completely.
- Fold the toasted cumin, cloves, and the rest of the spices into a parchment paper pouch or small ziplock, and add it to the jar. Close the lid. Store for up to 3 months.
Instructions to make the khichdi on the jar
- Wash the lentils and rice.
- For the Instant Pot – Heat 1 teaspoon oil on saute mode. Once the oil is hot, and add the contents of the spice pack. Cook, stirring, until fragrant,15 seconds , . Then add 3.5 to 4 cups of water (depends on your preference of consistency of the stew), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt, and any veggies that you are using. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2 to 4 minutes (4 for Indian khichdi-style porridge consistency). For a spiced rice style kitchari, pressure cook on low pressure for 3 mins. Release the pressure after 5 mins. Fluff lightly.
- For Saucepan – Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a saucepan on medium heat, and add the contents of the spice pack. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Then add 5 cups of water (depends on your preference of consistency of the stew), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt, and any veggies that you are using. Cover partially and cook for 22 minutes, then check the consistency and doneness and continue to cook more until done. (Alternatively, skip the roasting step and add spices, washed lentils rice, water , salt, tomato, veggies. Mix well and cook)
- For creamier, fold in 1/4 cup coconut cream or non dairy yogurt. Garnish with cilantro, lemon juice and pepper flakes and serve as-is or with chutneys, Indian pickles and/or papadums/crackers.
To make Khichdi without making it into a jar
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil on sauté mode in the Instant Pot or in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cloves and cook until fragrant. Add bay leaves, turmeric and garam masala and mix for a few seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, water, salt and cook according to the jar instructions above.
Video
Notes
Replace half the white basmati rice with quinoa or millet.
Add a mix of lentils such as toor dal and Moong dal or urad dal and Moong dal. No onion garlic: Omit the onion flakes and garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, also add 1/8 tsp asafetida or 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds to the spice bag.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- rice – Use long grain white basmati rice for the most authentic kitchari.
- lentils – Choose quick-cooking lentils, like red lentils or split moong dal.
- whole spices – Whole cumin seeds and cloves can be roasted or not. Roast them for the best flavor!
- ground spices – For the spice pack, you’ll also need coriander, onion flakes, garlic powder, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and bay leaves.
- tomato – To prepare the khichdi, adds umami and color.
- chopped vegetables – Use fresh or frozen.
- salt – Brings out the flavors.
💡 Tips
- Toasting the whole spices takes a few extra minutes, but it really adds an incredible flavor to the khichdi!
How to Make Khichdi Jar Mix
Layer the rice and lentils.
Toast the cumin seeds and cloves on stovetop over medium heat until cumin seeds change color slightly. This step is optional. Toasted cumin seeds add a deeper tastier flavor. Cool completely.
Fold the toasted cumin, cloves, and the rest of the spices into a parchment paper pouch, and add it to the jar. Close the lid. Store for up to 3 months.
How to Prepare the Khichdi
Wash the lentils and rice.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil on medium heat, and add the contents of the spice pouch. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. This is optional, you can add the spices directly with the lentils and rice as well
Add the rice, lentils, water, and tomato to the pan along with any veggies that you are using. Mix well.
Cover partially and cook for 22 minutes, then check the consistency and doneness and continue to cook more until done. Fluff and serve with toppings of choice.
For the Instant Pot – Heat 1 teaspoon oil on saute mode. Once the oil is hot, and add the contents of the spice pack. Cook, stirring, until fragrant,15 seconds , . Then add 3.5 to 4 cups of water (depends on your preference of consistency of the stew), the lentils, rice, tomato, salt, and any veggies that you are using. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2 to 4 minutes (4 for Indian khichdi-style porridge consistency). For a spiced rice style kitchari, pressure cook on low pressure for 3 mins. Release the pressure after 5 mins. Fluff lightly.
What to Serve with Khichdi
Add more flavor to your khichdi with some mint chutney or tomato chutney or Indian pickles such as mango, tomato or chili pickle, with non dairy yogurt or raita. Serve it on its own or with papadum or crackers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kitchari is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
This was wonderful for my father after surgery! I used butternut squash chunks, cauliflower, and shredded carrot (to hide them – my dad doesn’t like the texture of cooked carrots) for the veggies. I cooked for 3 minutes high pressure in the IP, and then stirred in half a can of full-fat coconut milk to get him some more calories. And I’ve been enjoying bowls of it, too, with a little added spice. Thank you!!
Thats amazing. Hope he recovers well and soon. Sending him good wishes.
What type of vegetables would you add to this while cooking?
I usually add cauliflower, potato, carrots, zucchini, greens etc.
Can I just throw this in a crockpot and let it cook a couple of hours? I don’t have a pressure cooker. I either use a saucepan on the burner or a crockpot and today I’d like to be able to walk away from the kitchen for a bit. Thanks!
I am sure it will work fine,, i dont know the times though. I have times mentioned inthe recipe notes for a saucepan.
Hello. We tried this recipe yesterday and absolutely loved it. The flavors and fragrances are so wonderful. It was our first recipe from you, and we are hooked. (We just ordered the book).
However, I think we made a mistake. We doubled the recipes (ta have leftovers), but didn’t adjust the time. It came out quite overcooked (the rice lost its shape and was in a puree). Any idea how long we should have cooked it?
Awesome Thanks!
The larger quantity adds more time to the coming to pressure time of the Instant Pot. The food starts cooking in that time already, and also cooks in the manual time in mins when the pot has reached pressure. Whenever increasing the quantity for pressure cookers, for food that generally cooks faster like white rice, vegetables etc, you want to help reduce the “coming to pressure” time to reduce chances of overcooking. You can bring the water to a boil on saute, and then add the lentils, veggies and spices and close the lid. This way half the volume of the pot are already very hot and the pot will come to pressure quickly. Also reduce the manual time to 1 or 2 mins. Hope this helps.
This also applies to other recipes with lentils etc and the extra cooking time can overcook the food. It also depends on the ingredients, for eg, some types or brands of rice tend to overcook in the IP even when you make just rice. Try the recipe quantity or half the quantity with boiled water to see how the texture turns out.
Delicious recipe and great gift idea! My whole family loves it:) complete comfort food.
AWesome!!
Dear Richa, I’m a fan of your recipes, and want to try this out because I love किचड़ी. Thank you! You mention the timings for Instant Pot and saucepan, I’d like to prepare it with my pressure cooker, and I am not sure of the timing, but I reckon it must be more than with the instant pot. Cold you help me further, please? Thank you very much.
Stove top pressure cooker needs less time than instant pot as instant pot is electric pressure cooker and there is less pressure build up. For a regular pressure cooker, cook for 1 or 2 minutes once the pressure has reached.
I made this tonight. Actually, my six year old and I cooked this up because we didn’t know what to do for dinner. He said it looked and smelled so good, however, he refused to try it. He is a very picky eater and normally says my food looks gross.
This was delicious. I cooked for 2 minutes at pressure and then let out pressure about 7 minutes in because I was helping my son with something. It was a bit overdone, but tasty. Next time I will add the cilantro and lemon juice as suggested. Oh, and my wife who is also a very picky eater tried it and said it should get five stars.
Thanks again for another great recipe. I love cooking from your blog.
Awesome! yes reduce the cook time or release time to control the doneness. maybe top it with some crackers and chips for the six year old or make a quesadilla 🙂
Thank you for this great gift idea! I am giving bags of food this year (tapenade, pesto, cookies in a jar, quince jellies), and this is a simple, delicious and practical addition. Just a little comment about the printing: the last line does not print well (it is covered by text). Season’s greatings! Wishing you happiness and much success in the year to come.
Those are great gifts! Thanks for the info on the print, i’ll check up on it. Wishing you and yours a wonderful new year as well Regine!
I read the recipe on my way home from work last night and knew what I was having for supper. Brilliant flavours and super-speedy to make! Thanks!
What are moong dal and can you buy them in your local grocery store?
Moong dal are split moong beans that have also been dehusked. See https://fettabbau-trim.today/indian-dals-names%3C/a%3E for pictures. They are available in some grocery stores, they might be called petite yellow lentils. look for long yellow lentils. You an also get them online on amazon or from an Indian store,, or just use more red lentils.