A - Z Biryani / Khichdi / Pulao Series ~ U for Uttarakhandi Khichdi (Tilantha Khichdi)

When I made a list of recipes to try for this marathon, I made it a point to pick as many as possible choices for each alphabet. The idea was that I can cook whatever I can depending upon the mood and the ingredients I have on hand at the time of cooking rather than sticking my guns at one dish which may have proved not feasible at all. I went on to cook about 2 dozen different pulaos and biryanis in the past couple of months that we my husband somewhat hit a vexation point just at the mention of it. He enjoys them once in a while but not when his wife is determined to experiment and cook all known varieties, in the span of few weeks. 

My initial plan was to cook a 'ulava chaaru biryani' for the alphabet "U'. I zeroed on a particular recipe and bought a packet of horse gram for the first time in my life.  I kept delaying the preparation until this weekend to break the biryani monotony but it turns out that I was no longer in the pulao / biryani mood. I therefore turned to this easy-breezy kind khichdi, the one pot meal being a dish which I don't get tired of, irrespective of regional variations. 

I tried to pick a handful of khichdis for this month's marathon, each with at least some minor variations. This one pot khichdi which is also called as tilantha khichdi or tilwali khichadi that I found on youtube, comes from the Uttarakhand region as the name suggests. It doesn't use any garam masala either in whole or ground forms, which seems to be a norm in most of the masaledar khichdis. This version is prepared using rice and small sized lobia / black eyed peas which are brown in color. I used chori beans instead. The khichdi is supposedly preferred during the winter months as sesame seeds and ginger are natural warmers. A paste made with toasted sesame seeds, generous amounts of ginger and garlic and green chillies is used in this khichdi preparation. I omitted garlic from the recipe but feel free to use it liberally if you prefer it's addition. The delicious khichdi is quite spicy on it's own, thanks to green chilies, chili powder and ginger in the recipe. Serve it along with some plain yogurt, papad, and ghee to make it a wholesome and filling meal.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1/4 cup small sized brown colored black eyed peas
1 tbsp. white and /or black sesame seeds
1 inch piece of ginger
2 green chillies
2 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup basmati rice

1.5 cups water

Directions:
* Soak beans overnight. Drain after the soaking period.
* Toast sesame seeds on low flame until they start to crackle and turn off the stove. Let them cool.

* Grind sesame seeds, ginger and chilies together finely adding water as needed.

* Heat ghee directly in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and when they start to brown, add drained beans and saute for a minute. Next add the sesame seed paste and fry on low flame for about a couple of minutes.

* Next add salt, coriander powder, turmeric and chili powders and stir well. Continue to cook until the paste thickens and the beans are coated well with it, about 3 - 4 minutes.

* Rinse and drain the rice. Add it to the cooker and saute for few seconds. Add water and bring the mixture to a boil. Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. 
* Wait for few minutes after the valve pressure is gone. Open the lid of the cooker, gently mix and serve warm.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A - Ambur Biryani
B - Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C - Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D - Donne Biryani
E -  Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F - Fada ni Khichdi
G - Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H - Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I - Iyengar Puliyogare
J - Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K - Kashmiri Pulao
L - Lucknowi Biryani
M - Motiwale Pulao

N - Nei choru
O - Oodhala Pulao
P - Pariba Khechudi
Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi
R - Rajma Pulao
S - Sindhi Biryani
T - Tehri / Tahiri

 
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

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