Text and Photo : Geet Lulla
How do you make the humble Khichdi, the quintessential comfort food in Indian homes, super-glamorous? Get a Super-model to cook it OR even better, get a Super-Dad to change out of his corporate attire and into his chef’s apron to make it for his darling kids on Father’s Day!
This Father’s Day was little different for our guest foodie contributor Geet Lulla who is the Managing Director of Gracenote.
Geet loves food. And his wife Rohini, is one of the best cooks we have ever met (more about her later). He also loves to help around the kitchen – and therein lies the catch. He only specializes in prep work – cutting, chopping, measuring and generally ensuring everything needed for the cook is ready at the station – neatly arranged and in the exact quantities (you can see it in the first picture of the photo story below). But he does not do the actual cooking, because it is not his ‘core competence’.
So, this Father’s Day, his wife and two kids decided to push him out of his comfort zone and get him to upgrade from understudy and assistant-at -large to chef. But Geet was not one to take on a battle he wasn’t sure of winning so he chose – the humble yet delicious dal khichdi (the Lulla household version). There is some history to the dish as well – as a working mother of two toddlers, Rohini devised this as a nutritious no-fuss single pot dish that gives all the important food groups required for kids that age at on go in a delicious easy to digest package. What followed was a fun ride where Geet whipped up the dal khichdi to the accompaniment of some classic rock music (check out the air guitaring picture) and some unsolicited help and advice from the kids (who couldn’t believe that Geet was actually cooking).
Finally, the family enjoyed the khichdi with some masala dahi and papad. Just perfect for a Father’s Day lunch, don’t you think?
Ingredients:
Serves: 4 People
Rice : 1/2 cup
Yellow moong (lentils) : 1 cup
Carrots- 1/4 cup (grated)
Eggplant- 1/2 cup (diced into cubes)
Tomatoes – 3/4 cup (grated or puréed)
Onions – 1/2 cup (finely diced)
Garlic – 1tbs(coarsely crushed)
Green chilies – 1 tsp(coarsely crushed)
Curry leaves – 4-5 leaves
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin – 1.5 tsp
Asafoetida (heeng) – A pinch
Ghee – 2 tbs
Water- 3 cups or more
Salt – to taste
Method:
1. Wash and soak rice and dal in separate bowls for 30 mins
2. Allow the ghee to heat up in a large heavy bottom saucepan or cooker on medium flame.
3. When the ghee is hot add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter, add the garlic, chillies, curry leaves and give a little stir. Add the asafoetida and give it another stir
4. Add the onions and allow them to sweat.Add the grated carrots, eggplant. Stir for 5-6 mins or till the veggies soften.
5. Add the dal without the water and stir fry with the veggies in the pan. Add the turmeric powder and continue to stir.
6. Add the rice without the water and stir some more and finally add the tomato purée. Mix well.
7. Add the water and salt and lightly cover with lid. Let it cook on low flame for approx ten mins. Stir and mash as it cooks. Alternatively, if using a pressure cooker allow 2 whistles then give a good brisk stir.
Serve with salad, dahi and papad if its a warm day or just by itself in a big soup bowl in the winter
