Palak Khichdi Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Palak Khichdi Recipe is one-pot ultimate comfort food prepared with rice, dal/lentils, spinach and some basic spices

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword healthy, instant pot, lentil recipes, palak khichdi, pressure cooker recipes, spinach khichdi, under 30 minutes

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.
Press SAUTE mode (Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil in to the POT.
Note: Tastes better with Ghee.
Once POT is hot add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger-garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.
Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
Add palak puree, washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. Mix well.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Once the pressure has released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well.
**Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry then select saute mode and add an additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.

Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.
Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
Add palak puree and bring it to boil.
Lastly add washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. Mix well.
Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.
Once the pressure has released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well. Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry then turn on the gas and add additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

I have used split moong dal without skin. You can use it with skin moong dal.
I have used 2-3 cups of spinach (palak), you can add more according to your preference.
If you don't want to make spinach puree you can add finely chopped spinach too.
The water ratio in this recipe is 3 times the rice and lentils together which makes a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish.
You can also add vegetables of your choice like Sweet potato, pumpkin, and potato. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe.
Add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water for a more khichdi-like consistency.
If you are using brown rice, increase pressure cook time to 20-22 minutes.
Substitute white rice with quinoa or millets, same pressure cooking time i.e., 8 Minutes High Pressure.
To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with vegetable cooking oil.
If you are cooking this for elderly people or infants/toddlers adjust spices and vegetables accordingly.