Padma Lakshmi's Kichidi - GUEST BLOG

Kevin saw this in the Washington Post and since he is retired wanted to make it for lunch. He loved it! And as you can see he loves his mis-en-place! 

"Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi loves to serve her family and friends kichidi, a much-loved Indian food that she describes it as a savory rice-and-lentil porridge.

Lakshmi makes the dish a bit healthier by tweaking the traditional recipe. For example, the dish usually is made with two cups of rice to one cup of lentils, but Lakshmi reverses that to have the lentils be the main ingredient. The legumes are boiled with a bay leaf and a bit of salt. When she makes the dish for family and friends, she sautes vegetables and adds them to the porridge, which makes it healthier still. Here, the kichidi is made with more pantry-friendly ingredients. It gets its spice from black mustard seeds and dried red chile peppers.

1 cup (7 ounces) masoor (red/orange) or mung (yellow) lentils

1/2 cup (6 1/2 ounces) basmati rice

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

1/2 cup diced carrots (about 1 large)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 to 3 dried red chiles, or more to taste (can sub red chili flakes)

3/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds (can sub mustard powder)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or ghee (optional)

Step 1

Rinse the lentils and rice until the water runs clear. In a large stockpot, add the lentils, rice 

and bay leaf and enough cold water to cover the ingredients by about 3 inches. 

Stir in the salt and taste the water. It should taste lightly salty; add more if necessary.

Step 2

Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. 

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on

the bottom, about 20 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook, stirring a few times, until the rice is tender 

and the porridge is the consistency of oatmeal, about 10 minutes. If any foam forms during cooking, 

skim it off If the mixture seems too dry during cooking, add water, a little at a time, as needed.

Step 3

When the rice is just about cooked, in a shallow pan over medium high heat, heat the canola oil until 

shimmering. Add the chiles, mustard seeds, cumin and pepper and cook, stirring, until the mustard 

seeds begin to pop, about 3 minutes. Add the oil and spice mixture to the porridge. 

Stir in the butter or ghee, if using.

Remove from the heat, divide among bowls and serve.