Palak Khichdi

Preparation :20 mins
Cook :23 mins
Total Time :731 hours 13 minutes
Servings :Makes 4 servings

Ingredients :

2 cups rough chopped spinach (palak)
1/2 cup long grained rice (basmati)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1/2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 cardamom (elaichi)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 whole dry kashmiri red chilli , broken into pieces
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies

For Serving
fresh curd
papad

Method :

Combine the rice and dal in enough water in a deep bowl and soak it for 30 minutes. Drain well. Keep aside.Combine the spinach and 2 tbsp of water in a mixer and blend till smooth. Keep aside.
Combine the rice, dal, turmeric powder, salt and 1 ½ cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Keep aside.Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the onions and tomatoes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes ,while stirring occasionally.
Add the palak puree, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked dal-rice mixture, salt and 1 ½ cups of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee in a small non-stick pan, add the cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, cardamom ,curry leaves, kashmiri dry red chilli and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the garlic and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the prepared palak khichdi and mix well.
Serve hot with curds and papad.