Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (2024)

Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (1)

Khichdi.jpg

Khichdi – The Most Humble Superfood From India

  • Post author:Indian Food Therapy
  • Post published:December 17, 2022
  • Post category:Blog-Culinary Journey
  • Post comments:3 Comments

Khichdi is the most simple, humble & underrated food from the Indian Subcontinent. We tried to bring some interesting facts about this simple dish that is very common in all Indian Kitchens.

Origin of Khichdi

India is a country with Unity in Diversity & a land enriched with culture & vast heritage. Indian food has a 6000+-year-old historical background & influences different cultures. Every region has its claim to fame dishes & different style of cooking, their flavors & specialty change with the landscape. Khichdi is one of them & is native to Indian Subcontinent & known to all Indian kitchens irrespective of in which part of India you are.

The word, Khichdi is derived from the Sanskrit wordKhicca (which means a combination of rice and dal). In Vedic literature, Khichdi is acknowledged asKrusaranna.It was the Mughals who made Khichdi prominent. Queen Victoria’s Urdu tutor Munshi Abdul Karim made her taste Khichdi.

Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (2)

History

The earliest reference to Khichdi is found in the epic Mahabharata when Draupadi fed this simple dish to Pandavas during their exile.

The Book calledHistory of Ancient India (Page-623) highlights that when Chandragupta Maurya & Chanakya directly attacked the Patliputra to defeat Dhana Nanda, whose rule was oppressive to the people. The forces of Dhana Nanda surrounded them & Chandragupta Maurya & Chanakya managed to save their lives with difficulties. They ran away towards the border & stayed a night in a village. That night the house lady served the Khichdi to her son, who put his finger at the center of the dish & burned his fingers. The house lady told her son that he was a fool like Chandragupta, who directly attacked the Patliputra instead of first conquering the fort at the border. She taught her son a lesson that Khichdi is less hot at the edge & always eaten from the edge.

In 3 century BC, the Greek kingSeleucusmentioned the dish with rice & pulses that was popular among the people of the Subcontinent during his campaign in India. In 1450Ibn Batuta– the Moroccan traveler, mentioned Khichdi(made of rice and moong beans) during his stay in India.Afanasiy Nikitin, a Russian adventurer who traveled to the Indian Subcontinent in the 15th century wrote about this humble dish & mentioned this dish as an important part of the diet for Indians.

Importance of Khichdi in modern days

This dish is easy to digest and full of nutrition, helps to detoxify your digestive system & the ingredients used for prep improve energy level, immunity & digestion.

This dish is as modern as you will get in all-start hotels and the best Indian restaurant serving in town. Khichdi is also offered as bhog in many Indian temples and Gurudwaras.

Today every region of India has its variation of this classic dish. This dish has become everyone’s comfort food. It is the first staple food served to a child when they start eating. Now, this flavor of ancient India is tempered with state-wise modernization.

As mentioned, this is a common & popular Indian dish that one will find in all corners of India. So, you will also get countless varieties of khichdi in India. The base ingredients of this dish areRice & Dal(Lentils) added with different spices, vegetables, or non-veg depending on region to region few of which I am going to mention below:

Kashmir

Known as Moong Khetchir, This Kashmiri version of Khichdi is made with rice & chilke wali moong ( Split Green Grams).

Meghalaya

Another version of Khichdi is Ja Dai from Meghalaya. Rice is cooked with lentils & is very popular among the Khasi community.

Odisha

The popular type of Khichdi served in Jagannath Temple, Puri as prasad called Ade Hengu Khechudi - made of Rice, Lentils, Ginger & Asafoedita. Otherwise, people at home cook Moong Dal Khechudi & served it with varieties of accompaniments.

West Bengal

Bhoger Khichdi is from West Bengal, specially prepared without onion- garlic and offered as a bhog to goddess Durga. It is prepared with rice and moong dal with added seasonal vegetables & spices.

Bihar

It is made with rice, dal & garam masala & eaten with ghee, Baigan ka bharta/ Aloo ka Bharta, tomato chutney, pickle, etc. It is eaten every Saturday in North India and during Makar Sankranti (a Festival day as per Hindu Calendar dedicated to the deity Sun).

Rajasthan

Special Khichdi is made with Bajra (pearl millet) & Yellow moong dal is one of the specialties of Rajasthan.

Gujrat

In Gujrat, Khichdi is served in various flavors such as Sadi(Plain) Khichdi, Masala Khichdi, & served with Kadhi.

Karnataka

Bisi Bele Bhat is from Karnataka, which translates to Hot Lentil Rice dish recipe is a whole meal. It is a belief that this dish originated in Mysore Palace.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has its version of Khichdi called Pongal. This dish is made of freshly harvested rice & lentils & available in sweet & savory versions. Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated in South India during harvest time to thank the Sun, Nature & various farm animals.

Hyderabad/Telangana

The Muslim community of Hyderabad & Telangana State makes Khichdi with minced meat & enjoyed it with Khatta (a dish like salan). This dish is commonly eaten with an omelet as well.

Significance of having Khichdi on an auspicious day of Makar Sankranti

On Makar Sankranti, most people eat Khichdi in India because Sankranti is a famous harvest festival of North India, & during that auspicious day it is made with harvested rice and daal. That is the cultural reason behind making this superfood on Sankranti.

Why do we eat khichdi on Saturday?

According to Hindu astrology, it is said that eatingBlack Urad Dal Khichdion Saturday keeps the ill effects of Shani Dev at bay. That is only a belief mainly. It is easy to digest, it helps in the detoxification of the body. Because of its simple ingredients, it also helps in weight loss. According to your taste, one can vary it by adding seasonal vegetables to make it more healthy.

In North India, it is a popular saying:

Khichdi ke Hain Chaar YaarGhee, Papad, Dahi, Achaar.

This dish is eaten along the length & breadth of India by the rich & poor both. This dish was promoted asBrand India Foodglobally & unveiled to other parts of the world at the global food show-World Food Indiain the Year 2017 and promoted as an Indian Superfood.

Brand India Food

Do make this superfood and connect us on Indian Food Therapy with your experience.

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This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (7)

    Misbah kha 20 Dec 2022Reply

    Now i think I know lot about khichadi..i never new it has so much importance….thank you

  2. Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (8)

    Rikita 18 Feb 2023Reply

    Very well explained. Very informative blog. got to learn a lot.

  3. Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (9)

    shadma khan 18 Feb 2023Reply

    such a piece of knowledge about khichadi …..gr8

Leave a Reply

Khichdi - The Most Humble Superfood From India (2024)

FAQs

Why is khichdi a superfood? ›

One for superfood seekers

Khichdi contains the three macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein and fat. Rice and lentils together form a complete protein, which contains all nine essential amino acids.

Why is khichdi famous in India? ›

Since it is made of a combination of healthy ingredients like lentils, rice and sometimes vegetables, it is a protein-rich dish that is known to give your body energy and make you feel full for a long time. Apart from its health benefits, Khichdi is a versatile dish. Hence, almost every family cooks Khichdi in India.

Is it good to eat khichdi every day? ›

Eating khichdi may help detoxify the body, which keeps the digestive system in order and helps promote weight loss. Khichdi will make you feel full for a longer time, you will avoid overeating, and be able to maintain an optimum weight. It also provides you the energy to carry on with your daily activities with ease.

Is khichdi a complete protein? ›

While meat is a complete source of protein, there is no vegetarian source that it a complete source by itself. But, with the combination of rice, dal and spices, khichdi becomes a complete protein. It is also a good way to consume unsaturated fats and complex carbohydrates.”

What is the power of khichdi? ›

Khichdi aids digestion and promotes healing

It is easily digested, assimilated, and absorbed, whereas hard-to-digest foods use tremendous digestive energy to break down.

Is it good to eat khichdi at night? ›

Khichdi also acts as a perfect night meal which is soft on your tummy.

What is the food value of khichdi? ›

There are a total of 320 calories in khichdi in a single serving (weighing 260 g). Of these calories, 19% is provided by protein, 68% by carbohydrates, and 13% by fat. In total, khichdi calories provide 16% of the daily calories needed by an adult eating a 2000 calorie diet.

What do we call khichdi in English? ›

Khichadi is an Indian food made of lentils and rice . It was adopted by the British and they called it kedgeree (pronounced ke jeree). The English meaning of Khichidi is Kedgeree.

Why is khichdi good for stomach? ›

Best-selling author Luke Coutinho noted in one of his blog posts that khichdi is "super beneficial" for the gut and digestive system, as it "cleanses and rejuvenates your system, can help improve liver function and fight conditions like ulcers and acidity".

When should we not eat khichdi? ›

And just like on most days considered auspicious according to Hinduism, there are certain foods recommended for inclusion and exclusion in the diet. For example, moong dal is considered inauspicious on this day, which is why most people avoid eating moong dal khichdi on Thursdays.

Is khichdi good for detox? ›

Along with split and husked moong dal, Bengali khichdi consists of vegetables like cauliflower, peas and potato, making it great for detox lunch as our body takes time to digest carbohydrates.

Is khichdi better than roti? ›

Both are nutritious but khichdi is easy to digest and rich in protein. Khichdi is cholesterol free and fat free. It is a good option for those who want to lose their weight. Khichdi is made from moong dal and rice.

Is khichdi a superfood? ›

To immerse you in the history of Khichdi a little, this wonderful dish dates back to the Indian subcontinent as far back as 1350. "Khichdi" was recently declared by the government around the world as "India's superfood" and the queen of all food.

How long can I store khichdi in the fridge? ›

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a week. Reheat portions before serving.

Is khichdi a probiotic? ›

This is said to be loaded with probiotics , good bacteria of Curd ,It is a generous meal loaded with nutrients for babies and elderly.It is easy for them to digest as both of them have a slow metabolism and their digestive strength is too weak to digest complex nutrients.

Why is khichdi more nutritious than plain rice? ›

The lentils and rice used in Khichdi are decent dietary fibre and protein sources, promoting satiety and reducing overall calorie intake. Khichdi is a naturally low-fat dish that can help enhance weight loss efforts. Additionally, adding vegetables to Khichdi can boost the dish's vitamins and minerals.

Which nutrient is present in khichdi? ›

Khichdi Nutrition
Total Fat Saturated Fat Polysaturated Fat Monosaturated Fat4.6 g 2.4 g 0.4 g 1.3 g
Protein15 g
Vitamin A6% of the daily requirement
Vitamin C4.5% of the daily requirement
Calcium5.1% of the daily requirement
5 more rows
Mar 3, 2022

Why do we eat khichdi when sick? ›

After eating with abandon during the holidays, Khichdi, a simple Indian dish, helps reset the gut. Called Kitchari or katchari in the West, this simple Indian dish is used to soothe both infants and the ill.

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