Gujarati Khichdi Kadhi (The Classic Comfort Duo)
The definitive Gujarati comfort meal: soft moong dal khichdi paired with sweet-tangy yogurt kadhi. Both dishes come together in about 30 minutes and are made for sharing from the same table.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot with lid (for khichdi)
- Medium saucepan (for kadhi)
- Small pan (for tadka)
- Whisk
- Pressure cooker or Instant Pot (optional)
Ingredients
For the Khichdi
- ½ cup short-grain white rice
- ½ cup yellow moong dal split yellow lentils
- 3 to 3½ cups water
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ghee plus more to finish
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida hing
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger optional
- 1 green chili optional; slit
- fresh coriander, to garnish
For the Kadhi
- 1 cup full-fat yogurt room temperature
- 2 tbsp besan chickpea flour
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp jaggery or sugar, to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
- ½ tsp ginger paste optional
Kadhi Tadka
- 1 tbsp ghee or neutral oil for vegan
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 8–10 curry leaves
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 pinch asafoetida hing
Instructions
Start the Khichdi
- Rinse rice and moong dal together until water runs mostly clear. Soak 15–20 minutes if possible, then drain.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let sizzle for 20–30 seconds.
- Add hing, ginger, and green chili (if using). Stir 30 seconds.
- Add drained rice and dal. Stir to coat with tadka for 1 minute.
- Add turmeric, salt, and 3 to 3½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and cook 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and creamy. Pressure cooker: 3–4 whistles on medium, or Instant Pot High for 8 minutes with 10-minute natural release.
Make the Kadhi
- While khichdi cooks, whisk together yogurt, besan, and 3 cups water until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Add jaggery, turmeric, salt, and ginger paste. Whisk again.
- Pour into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously in one direction until it comes to a gentle simmer, about 10–12 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Kadhi will thicken slightly and turn pale golden. Taste and adjust salt and sweetness.
Make the Tadka
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; let them splutter, about 30 seconds.
- Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, dried red chili, and hing. Stir 15–20 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour tadka over the kadhi and stir to combine.
Finish and Serve
- Drizzle a generous spoon of ghee over the khichdi. Garnish with fresh coriander.
- Serve khichdi in deep bowls with kadhi poured alongside or on top. Add papad and pickle.
Notes
Timing: Start the khichdi first. Begin the kadhi once the khichdi is simmering with the lid on — both will be ready together.
Use room-temperature yogurt for the kadhi. Cold yogurt increases the risk of curdling.
Whisk out every lump of besan before heating — lumps cannot be fixed once on the stove.
Cook kadhi on medium-low only. High heat will cause the yogurt to curdle.
Vegan swap: Replace ghee with coconut oil or neutral oil. Use unsweetened coconut or cashew yogurt for the kadhi.
For babies: omit salt, hing, and green chili from the khichdi. Cook until very soft and mashable.
Storage: Store khichdi and kadhi in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water. Do not freeze the kadhi.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!