Achari Rajma ki Khichdi with Homemade Wadi

"Why Khichdi?" I quip. 

I had been pestering Chef Nishant Choubey of The Roseate for days on end to part with a special recipe and khichdi was not what I expected.

"It's my favourite food any day! It reminds me of love and affection," says Chef Nishant with conviction, adding,"many of our regular guests at Kiyan such as Akshay Luthra and Sid Sehgal order it regularly."

Fair enough. I couldn't help going back to a time when we were stuck in France at the end of a one month long trip, owing to the ash cloud crisis way back in 2010. We were forced to extend our stay by another ten days. Yes, nowhere else but Paris. In a hotel overlooking the Eiffel. Paris, quickly blooming into spring season, and all we could think of and missed was the blooming curry!

We were fed up of the dry French bread and bland food and longed for home cooked food. Finally in the bylanes of Paris, we found a Mexican joint serving chilli con carne and the spiced Rajma in it, smelt and tasted familiar. We would gobble up that 5 Euro plate hastily. It was comfort food. It was like home. It warmed our hearts and fed our soul.

So here is Chef Nishant Choubey's proud creation. Except that in his able hands, the humble khichdi gets a smart and nutritious makeover! Rajma or kidney beans give it a protein boost and added texture and the ingenuous wadi is the perfect garnish.

Achari rajma Ki khichdi with homemade wadi 

10 portions 

Ingredients:

Boiled rice- 500 gm 

Ginger garlic paste – 50 gm

Green chili – 10 np 

Green cardamom – 10 gm

Clove – a few 

Bay leaf – a few 

Ghee – 50 gm

Turmeric powder – a bit 

Salt – to taste 

Red chili pickle –50 gms

Milk – 100 ml 

Boiled rajma – 200 gm

Urad chilkha wali – 500 gm 

Urad wash – 1 kg 

Hing – 1 bit

Black pepper – to season 

Saunf – 10 gm 

Baking powder – 10 gm 

Makhani  base gravy – 800 gm

Red chili powder – a bit 

 Method:

1. Wash the dals in cold water and soak in cold water for 24 hrs. 
2. Grind them coarsely in the grinder or blender.
3. Add black pepper, saunf, hing, salt and baking powder. 
4. Set in a tray and steam them for 30 minutes.
5. Cut it into rounds with the help of a cutter.
6. Take a pan and add refined oil or desi ghee.
7. Temper with bay leaf, clove, and cardamom.
8. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and salt.
9. Add boiled rice, boiled rajma, milk and water.
10. Add red chili pickle. Khichdi is ready.
11. Fry the wadi in hot oil till it becomes crisp.
12. Add the wadi in Makhani base  gravy which is tempered with hing, green chili, chopped ginger and red chili powder.
13.  Keep it warm.
14. Plate the khichdi with wadi .
15. Garnish with corriander