BARLEY KHICHDI

My first recipe for this year 2017 also first Barley recipe.  After a great holidays fun and so much of eating, I wanted to make a real quick one and it turned to this Barley Khichdi.  Traditional Indian Khichdi made with rice and moong dal.  I followed the same way for this khichdi with little variations. I used barley instead rice and used yellow moong dal instead green one.  This is really tasty and easy to make if you really want a quick and comforting meal.  Try this healthy khichdi and trust me you will love it.  For vegan lovers, add oil instead ghee! 

                                       Barley being low in cholesterol and rich in fiber, naturally helps in weight loss. It can replace rice in most dishes, so it's easy to substitute barley in place of rice. Barley is considered as the best natural  remedy for urinary tract infection, especially in pregnant women. Try to add barley in your regular diet which is a good source of molybdenum, copper, vitamin B1 and magnesium.

INGREDIENTS:

Barley                     - 1 cup

Yellow moong dal  - 1/4 cup

Onion                     - 1 finely chopped

Tomato                   - 1 finely chopped

Garlic                     - 3 to 4 cloves cut into pieces

Grated ginger         - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder  -  1/2 tsp

Cumin powder       - 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder    - 1/4 tsp

Salt                        - to taste

To temper:

Ghee                       - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds           - 1 tsp

Asafoetida / Hing   - 1/4 tsp

HOW TO MAKE:

Wash barley and pressure cook along with moong dal by adding 3 cups of water.  Allow 4 to 5 whistles.  Let the steam get released.  Heat ghee in a kadai add cumin seeds.  Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger and asafoetida.  Add little salt and fry till it turn to transparent.  Add turmeric powder, red chilli, cumin and amchur powder.  Blend well, add chopped tomatoes.  

Mix well with the masala and let the tomatoes get tender.  When it forms a gravy kind of, add cooked barley.  Blend well and add salt if required.  Serve hot.  

TIPS:

You can make it as a one pot meal in a pressure cooker.  Directly you can saute all the items in the pressure cooker, then add barley and moong dal.  Add water and pressure cook it with 4 to 5 whistles. 

Oil can be added instead ghee.

Vegetables can be added too.  

Add a tsp of lemon juice at the end instead amchur powder.