One-Pot Rice Khichdi with Dal and Veggies
A warm, low-effort "hug in a bowl" that turns the mental Wall of Awful into a cozy, one-pot success. Perfect for recharging your executive function and getting nutrients into your body well ill.
Equipment
- Nutricook (You can use an InstaPot or even a regular Pressure Cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice rinsed
- 1 cup Masoor dal rinsed
- 1/3 cup Chana dal rinsed
- 3-4 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Ghee or oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- Asafoetida (Hing) A pinch
- 1 Onion medium, chopped
- 3-4 Garlic minced (or you can use garlic paste - 1tbsp should work)
- 2 Green chilies slit
- 2 Red Chillies cut wide
- 6-8 Curry leaves
- 1 Tomatoes large, chopped
- 250 gms Frozen veggies
- 1 bunch Spinach chopped
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- Salt To taste
Instructions
- In your Nutricook or InstantPot (on saute mode) or regular pressure cooker, heat ghee/oil, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, onion, garlic, chilies, and curry leaves. Sauté until onions are golden.1 tbsp Ghee or oil, 1 tsp Cumin seeds, Asafoetida (Hing), 1 Onion, 3-4 Garlic, 2 Green chilies, 2 Red Chillies, 6-8 Curry leaves
- Add tomato, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. Cook until oil separates.1 Tomatoes, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder, 1 tsp Chili powder, 1 tsp Garam masala, 1 tsp Coriander powder, Salt
- Add in the frozen veggies. (Tip: I usually boil it with a little turmeric and salt before cooking). Mix it in well.250 gms Frozen veggies
- Stir in spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.1 bunch Spinach
- Add in the rice, dals, and 3 cups of water for 20 minutes on a NutriCook or InstantPot or if using a regular pressure cooker, then 3 whistles.1 cup Rice, 1 cup Masoor dal, 1/3 cup Chana dal, 3-4 cups Water
- Let the steam completely release and rest it for another 5 mins before opening the pot. Stir and mash as you go. If it is too runny for your liking, then you can let it simmer for a bit more.
- Season with a bit of chaat masala, and serve warm or with yogurt.
Notes
The ADHD-Friendly Steps (Sensory-Aware)
- Touch the Ingredients First: Don’t turn on the heat until you’ve physically placed all the rice, dals and other ingredients on the counter to avoid the "missing ingredient" panic.
- The "One & Done" Dump: Toss 1 cup Rice, 1 cup Masoor Dal, and 1/3 cup Chana Dal into the Nutricook as per the above instructions. No fancy layers needed.
- The Dopamine Timer: Set the Nutricook and walk away. This is your permission to go lie down for 20 minutes if you needed it or just snuggle on the couch with your Head Taste Tester.
- The Frozen shortcut: When the beep happens, stir in your spinach and that 250g bag of frozen veggies. The residual heat does the work for you.
- The Mush Test: Stir until it’s a soft, "zero-chew" consistency - perfect for dental recovery and flu-tired jaws.