Khichdi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Khichdi (also khichri, khichdee, khichadi, khichuri, khichari and many other variants) (Urdu: کھچڑی ), is a South Asian rice dish made from rice and lentils (dal). Khichdi is commonly considered to be India's comfort food, and was the inspiration for the Anglo-Indian dish of kedgeree.
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[edit] History
Khichdi is identifiable from the writings of Afanasiy Nikitin, a Russian adventurer who travelled to the Indian subcontinent in the 15th century. Khichdi was very popular with the Mughals especially Jahangir .
[edit] Regional differences
Khichdi is commonly served with another Indian dish called "kadhi". Other common accompaniments are papads, beguni (deep fried eggplants in a besan batter), ghee (clarified butter), achar (oil based pickle), and yoghurt.
Khichdi is a very popular dish in eastern, northern and western India. The dish is widely prepared in many Indian states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bengal, where it is called khichhuri. Addition of vegetables such as cauliflower, potato, and green peas is very common.
Khichri is a popular dish in Pakistan. It is especially cooked for children and people with stomach problems as it is easily digestable compared to other Pakistani dishes which usually have meat and are also spicy. In Pakistan, Khichra is another dish with similar name to Khichri but is a variation of Haleem dish.
In Bengali tradition it is customary to cook khichhuri during rainy days. It is also traditional in Bengal to cook khichhuri as a lunch at the Saraswati Puja during the month of February - the invocation of the goddess of learning. It is also customary to cook khichhuri for lunch in other popular pujas such as Durga Puja.
While khichhuri is cooked as a rather rich and delectable delicacy in Bengal, it is cooked very differently in North and Western India - a very plain dish that is normally associated with bland taste and diet for people when sick. Khichdi is also the first solid that babies are introduced to. Rice and lentils are simmered till mushy, seasoned with turmeric and salt and fed to infants to introduce them to "adult" food. It is also a favourite campfire food owing to the convenience of being able to cook khichdi in a single simmering pot.
Khichdi when well cooked with little oil is considered as a light and nutritious dish and is especially popular amongst many who follow ayurvedic diet practices or nature cure.
Another form of khichdi, popular mostly in western Maharashtra, is made with prawns.
[edit] In popular culture
In India, the term khichdi is also used broadly to imply a mish-mash or a mixture of sorts, similar to hodge-podge in English. For example, a classifieds portal in India goes by the name khichdee.com because it is a "mixture" of advertisements of all types.
Khichdi is also the name of a popular comedy TV serial in India.
[edit] See also
- Kushari, the Arab equivalent
- Congee, a type of rice porridge eaten in many Asian countries
- Kedgeree, the Anglo-Indian version
- Khichra
