Moong Dal Khichdi with A2 Bilona Ghee

Khichdi is the quietest hero of Indian cooking. Comfort food, recovery food, baby food, festival food — the same pot of rice and dal can be all of these. The single ingredient that lifts it from plain to memorable is good ghee.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup moong dal (split, washed)
• 1/2 cup white rice (washed)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Desi By Nature A2 Bilona Ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 inch ginger, grated

Method

1. In a pressure cooker, combine washed dal, rice, water, turmeric and salt. Cook for 3 whistles, then let pressure release naturally.
2. In a small pan, heat the ghee. Once shimmering, add cumin, hing, chillies, ginger. Sizzle for 30 seconds.
3. Pour the tempering over the cooked khichdi. Stir.
4. Top each bowl with another small spoon of ghee at the table. Serve hot with curd, pickle and papad.

Why the ghee matters here: a direct-cream supermarket ghee will taste flat in a dish this simple. Bilona ghee carries the cultured aroma that flavours every grain.