Indian Fried Rice, or “Khichdi”
This Indian Fried Rice is wholesome, delicious, and packed with lentils and fresh veggies. It's super easy to make, and is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. Filled with lots of healthy nutrients, spiced to perfection, it's the perfect family-friendly one-pot weeknight meal!
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 243kcal
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp Basmati rice
- 3 Tbsp Moong dal lentils
- 1 Tbsp quinoa
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 lb asparagus diced
- 1½ cups water
- 3 heaping tsp Khichdi masala or more to taste
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- Cilantro chopped – garnish
- Plain, Unsweetened Greek Yogurt Optional, for serving
Instructions
- Wash the mixture of rice, moong dal (lentils) and quinoa until all the sediment is gone and the water runs clear
- Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in 1 tbsp olive oil. Chop all of your veggies.
- Combine all the ingredients (grains + lentils + vegetables + onion mixture) in a large pot, add the masala.
- Bring everything to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes until all the water has been absorbed
- Garnish with cilantro, serve with yogurt if you like!
Notes
Top Tips For Making Indian Fried Rice
- Don’t forget to wash the lentils and the quinoa before you begin. This is an important step that shouldn’t be skipped.
- If you are making this recipe for khichdi for a baby, then don't use any of the hot spices or salt. I like mixing the lentils, rice and veggies together with just a pinch of turmeric, cumin and coriander for little ones. See my recipe for "baby khichdi" here!
- For picky eaters, cut up your veggies super small. They will "melt" into the lentils and rice and your kids won't be able to pick them out!
- For even more flavor, try dry roasting your lentils before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.
- If you want to make your own Khichdi Masala from scratch – here are the proportions/ingredients: 1 Tbsp turmeric, 1 Tbsp ground cumin, 1 Tbsp ground fennel, 1 Tbsp mustard seed, 1 Tbsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Stir to mix all of the spices evenly. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.5g | Protein: 10.3g | Fat: 8.9g | Sodium: 35.8mg | Fiber: 6.9g | Sugar: 1.7g