Indian Kitchree or kitcheree

Kitchree, also called khichri, khichdee, khichadi, khichuri, khichari, or kitcheree, is a South Asian dish made from rice and lentils. It is commonly considered to be a comfort food, and was the inspiration for the Anglo-Indian dish of kedgeree. It is a good meal for people who want to cut down on meat without losing out of protein. Kitchree is also an excellent food for the elderly and sick.

Cooking time: 35 min
Servings: 6



Ingredients:
Onion - 1, chopped
Butter or margarine - 3 tablespoons
Rice- 1 cup, uncooked
Lentils - 1 cup, dried
Water - 5 to 7 cups
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1 teaspoon
Coriander - 1 teaspoon, ground
Caraway - 1/4 teaspoon, ground
Cloves - 1/4 teaspoon, ground
Cardamom - 1/4 teaspoon, ground
Cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon, ground


Directions:

1) In a pan, saute the onion in the butter, until softened.
2) Stir in the rice and and lentils, stir continuously and cook for 2 minutes.
3) Pour in 5 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
4) Stir in the salt to taste alongwith all the spices.
5) Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice and lentils are tender, adding more water, if required.


SERVING
6) Serve the Indian Kitchree immediately on individual serving plates.





"Rice is a beautiful food. It is beautiful when it grows, precision rows of sparkling green stalks shooting up to reach the hot summer sun. It is beautiful when harvested, autumn gold sheaves piled on diked, patchwork paddies. It is beautiful when, once threshed, it enters granary bins like a (flood) of tiny seed-pearls. It is beautiful when cooked by a practiced hand, pure white and sweetly fragrant."

Shizuo TsujiIndian