Kari Kichri

Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 20 mins,
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Kichri

  • 1/2 cup toor daal
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 4 green cardamom
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 piece cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp whole cumin
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups (roughly 300g) rice, washed
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp salt

Kari

  • 4 whole green chillies
  • 1/2 bunch (about 50g) fresh coriander
  • 500ml yoghurt
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp gram flour
  • 250 ml (1 cup) water
  • (Optional) 1/2 cup toor dal, freshly boiled and lightly crushed
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp whole cumin
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 sticks curry leaves

Instructions

Making the kari

  1. In a blender liquidise the green chillies and coriander with a small amount of water. Then add the yoghurt, garlic, gram flour, salt and turmeric, and blend further. Finally add the remaining water. This is your kari mixture.
  2. Place the whole cumin in a pot and roast on low heat until almost black. Add the ghee, curry leaves and close the lid for 1 minute.
  3. Quickly add half the kari mixture in a pot and close the lid for half a minute.
  4. Add the remaining kari mixture, place on high heat and stir continuously until the kari boils.
  5. If a bit thick, add water. If a bit sour, add milk.

Making the kichri

  1. Soak the dal in hot water for 30 minutes or more.
  2. Braise the onions in ghee and oil with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and cumin until very light brown, and then add the water.
  3. Once the water starts boiling, add the washed dal, salt and turmeric.
  4. Boil for 10 minutes and add the washed rice. Slightly cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.
  5. Close pot fully, reduce heat to low and allow rice to steam for 20 minutes.