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Paneer khichdi is an Indian one-pot meal in which basmati rice is cooked together with arhar (pigeon pea) dal and moong dal. Then it is mixed with ghee, a tempered blend of whole spices, onions, tomatoes, green peas, and mildly spiced masala. In the last part, cubed paneer, which has been lightly fried, is thrown in making the khichdi thick and creamy. It is cooked by simmering all the ingredients together until the rice and dals become soft and well combined yielding a wholesome and balanced diet. Check out my simple recipe to find out how to make paneer khichdi in your kitchen.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Paneer khichdi is a popular comfort dish in India, loved for its simplicity, nourishment, and homely appeal.
It is best served hot with plain curd, pickle, papad, or any dry sabji.

Paneer khichdi has a mild creamy, spicy and earthy taste.
Other similar recipes are vegetable khichdi, moong dal khichdi, masala khichdi, and paneer pulao.

The Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice
½ cup arhar dal (Pigeon pea lentil)
½ cup moong dal
1 cup water
300 grams paneer (cut into small cubes)
½ tsp ghee (clarified butter, to fry the paneer cubes)

1 tbsp ghee
3 pieces green cardamom pods (whole)
2 bay leaves
6 pieces cloves
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 piece cinnamon (1 inch stick)
3 pieces green chilies (whole)
2 pieces onions (medium size, cut into thin slices)
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
½ tsp cumin seed powder
½ tsp coriander seed powder
Salt to taste
2 pieces tomatoes (medium size, cut into thin slices)
½ tsp dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi, crushed)
1 cup green peas
4 cups water
½ tsp garam masala powder
¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 tsp ghee

It was just a normal day and I was talking to some nearest neighbors about recipes and food ideas mainly for kids during a casual chat. One of them, a staunch defender of home-cooked meals, shared with me this paneer khichdi recipe that is one of their family meals. The way she told me about the typical family dish they have when they are in a hurry really stuck with me. I became pretty fascinated with the idea of making khichdi more complete and thus more satisfying by adding paneer. I thought I could possibly write down the ingredients and methods in my kitchen notebook and then give them a couple of tiny twists so that I wouldn’t forget them later.

That weekend I made the dish for lunch and was almost sure that my husband and two boys would not resist it as I had tasted it myself. The khichdi was great in every department such as it being very gently cooked with a nice smooth consistency, with plenty of flavor, and the addition of the paneer gave the dish a lovely richness. My husband remarked that the flavor was well balanced and quite kid-friendly as our kids had lovely smiles on their faces when they spontaneously finished off the whole portion. I was happy and thanked the lady who shared the recipe with me.

How to Make Paneer Khichdi? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Soak 1 cup of Basmati rice and ½ cup each of arhar dal and moong in a cup of water in a bowl for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Heat ½ tsp of ghee (clarified butter) in a kadai over a medium flame and put 300 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes) when it melts. Fry them until golden brown and remove them to a plate and keep them aside.

Step 3: Now, heat 1 tbsp of ghee again and put 3 pieces of whole green cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves, 6 pieces of cloves, ½ tsp of cumin seeds, 1 piece of cinnamon (1 inch stick), and 3 pieces of whole green chilies in it. Fry them on a medium flame for 20 seconds.

Step 4: Now, put in 2 pieces of onions (medium size, cut into thin slices) and fry until the color starts changing. At this stage, add 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste to it and fry until the raw smell of all is gone.

Step 5: Now, reduce the flame to low and add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of cumin seed powder, ½ tsp of coriander seed powder, and salt to taste. Mix them and cook for a few seconds. Then add 2 pieces of medium-sized tomatoes, cut into thin slices and mix again. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.

Step 6: Now, add ½ tsp of crushed dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) to it and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Then add 1 cup of green peas to it and mix nicely. Cook it for a couple of minutes.

Step 7: Now, add the soaked rice and dal along with the water. Mix nicely and add another 4 cups of water to it. Cover and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes. When the water reduces, add the fried paneer cubes to it. Mix them.

Step 8: Now, add ½ tsp of garam masala powder and ¼ cup of finely chopped coriander leaves to it and mix them nicely. Then, add 1 tsp of ghee to it. Cover and cook for just a minute or so and switch off the flame of the gas stove. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.