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Khichdi (Spiced Mung Bean and Rice Porridge)

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 7 cups
  • Serving size: 1¾ cups
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Khichdi is a traditional Indian dish that features a base of creamy mung beans and rice laced with aromatic spices. The texture is similar to a thick pea soup, and our version includes bite-size chunks of potatoes, tomatoes, and peas to add some extra substance. A symphony of seasonings—including cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne—strike the perfect balance between savory, sweet, and spicy, which means you could enjoy khichdi for breakfast just as easily as you could include it on the dinner table. Here, we add an extra layer of yum with a homemade cashew cream that adds a yogurt-like creaminess and subtle tang to the porridge. Feel free to top with red pepper flakes or fresh cilantro before you dig in! 

For more inspiration, check out our roundup of healthy vegan Indian recipes!

By Juliana Hale,

Last Updated:

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup raw cashews, soaked 10 minutes in boiling water
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ to ½ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
  • 1 cup brown basmati rice
  • 1 cup split mung beans or yellow split peas
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
  • ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup chopped russet potato
  • 1 cup chopped roma tomatoes
  • ½ cup frozen peas

Instructions

  • For Cashew Cream, in a small food processor combine the cashews, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pulse until finely ground. Gradually add the plant-based milk while processing until sauce is creamy. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Place rice and mung beans in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear.
  • In a large saucepan cook onion and bell pepper over medium 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the next six ingredients (through cayenne pepper). Cook 1 minute more. Add rice and mung beans, potato, and 5 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Stir in tomatoes and peas. Cook 15 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and mixture is the consistency of porridge. Drizzle servings with Cashew Cream.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1¾ cups): 462 calories, 85 g carbohydrates, 221 g protein, 9 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 337 mg sodium, 213 g fiber, 9 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (7)

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Sarah

I'm not able to print the recipe as your email input box states there's an "error". I have input a valid email address. I would like to print the recipe. Thanks!

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear you're having trouble printing this recipe. I just tried it and it's working fine for me, so I'm wondering if it's a local issue. Can you print other recipes? Have you tried using another browser? Please let us know if these fixes help.

Donna Hansen

As I understand it, mung bean is another name for moong dal, which is split yellow lentils.

Dot Stewart

There are no lentils listed in the recipe.

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Dot, Thanks for bring your concern to our attention. The recipe is correct as it is written and there are no lentils in the recipe. However, we appreciate that the name of the recipe is confusing, so we've changed the name of the recipe! Thanks!

wfpbkathy

Perhaps the mung beans/split peas in the recipe should actually be lentils?

chris davis

The name of this is misleading since there are no lentils in the recipe.

About the Author

headshot of Juliana Hale

About the Author

Juliana Hale

Juliana Hale is a senior culinary specialist with 20 years of experience in recipe testing and development. She works closely with AllRecipes, Forks Over Knives, Midwest Living, and Traditional Home overseeing testing in the test kitchen for those titles.
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