Saturday, December 09, 2006

'gale mein khich khich ho, toh khichdi lo,aur khich khich dur karo.''




there is a nip in the air and the first signs of winter setting in are visible. with the change of season also comes throat irritation. and in a polluted city like mumbai for some it is perennial. ask grandma for a remedy and she will give you a quick fix. the good old khichdi or kitchari.

for many it is their comfort food.morarji desai,ex prime minister of india, swore by it. and it is a favourite breakfast for the gujeratis. it is not confined to them only. with its umpteen variations this 'all-in-a-pot' concoction is popular throughout india. and why not?

where else can you get vitamins,minerals,carbohydrates and proteins from a single dish? normally it is considered to be the food for the 'convalescing' as it is recommended by doctors for detoxification. but then besides cleansing your intestines, it provides you with the required nourishment. some take it for breakfast,some for lunch and others for dinner. it can be taken at any time and can be a fantastic all-in-one meal.

take rice,legumes,vegetables and spices.and of course a polyunsaturated oil.carrots,beans and cabbages and even potatoes and spinach can be added .tomatoes,green chillies jeera,asfoetida,bay leaf and turmeric powder add to the looks,feel and taste.

soam, a veggie restaurant at chowpatty, is having a monthlong khichdi festival. the khichdi comes with curd and cucumber kadhi preceded by some appetisers like masala chaas and papad. khicdi na poodla,bhajiya and handvo.
the main course of khichdi includes masoor,saatdan(seven grains and lentils) and bajra. the masoor is topped with sliced and lightly fried onions.

a one-dish meal which is healthy and tastebuds-satisfying.

dadima is right.just go for it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

A monthlong khichidi festival? My, you mumbaikars are lucky people! Khichidi has always been one of my favorite foods to eat and I love how healthy and versatile it is.

A really nice post, thank you!

gs said...

thanks lotus reads for your comments.on 16th dec the tamil month of margazhi commences.aandal's thiruppavai (30 verses) is recited at the crack of dawn in many sri vaishnavite homes.and pongal is offered to lord vishnu.everday for the whole month.we will be having a pongal festival too!

Anonymous said...

Again, lucky, lucky you! :) My parents lived in Chennai for a while, so I've tasted Pongal and I love it just as much, if not more, than khichadi!