Spicy Chicken & Lentil Khichdi | Lentil, Rice & Chicken Porridge

A complete meal in itself with goodness of lentils, vegetables, chicken and rice all in one dish. Ideal as an iftar dish if you need to serve a large crowd. You can also make use of your left over rice and transform it into a a spicy and tasty porridge.











Serving size: 4 to 5

Ingredients


For cooking rice:

• 1/4 cup basmati rice
• 3 tbsp moong dal (green gram)
• 1 small carrot finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas
• Salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups of water (or little more)

For chicken masala:

• 5 pieces of chicken
• 1 medium onion 
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• Whole spices: 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 inch, 3 cloves, 2 cardamom
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• Ghee, ginger jullien for serving 

Preparation:

• Wash and soak rice and lentils for 15 minutes.
• Chop onion, tomatoes, carrot, green chilies, mint leaves and coriander leaves
• Keep chicken pieces ready

Method:

1. Heat a sauce pan and boil soaked rice, lentils, carrot, green peas along with salt, bay leaf and 3 cups of water.
2. Cook rice till it is over cooked and mushy. Add water if needed and keep the consistency of a thick soup. (It should not be dry)
3. Once it is cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat oil in another sauce pan and fry chopped onion till it is light pink.
5. Add all the whole spices, chopped green chilies and ginger garlic paste. Fry for 1 minute.
6. Then add chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 &1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, chicken pieces and salt.
7. Cook chicken along with spices for 2 minutes. Add little water if spices stick to the pan.
8. Place the lid and cook till chicken pieces and fully done.
9. Remove chicken pieces from the masala, shred it and discard the bones.
10. Add boiled rice and lentil mixture to the masala along with shredded chicken, chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander, 1/2 tsp garam masala powder and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
11. Stir well and and cook the porridge on low heat for 5 minutes.
12. Serve hot topped with ghee and ginger julliens.